Lok Sabha Question No. 4222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Set up of Special Cultural Fund to Organize Cultural Programmes
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Rama Devi, Navneet Ravi Rana, Locket Chatterjee, Ajay Kumar Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †4222

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 th  MARCH, 2023

## SET UP OF SPECIAL CULTURAL FUND TO ORGANIZE CULTURAL PROGRAMMES

† 4222. SHRIMATIRAMA DEV: SHRIMATI NAVNEET RAVI RANA: MS. LOCKET CHATTERJEE: SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL:

## Will the MINISTER OF CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any mechanism to set up special cultural fund for organizing cultural  programmes  at  the  district  level  to  promote  our  precious  culture,  particularly culture/tourist places in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the  formal  process  to  be  followed  with  the  concerned  authorities  and  nodal  agencies regarding  the  above-mentioned  objective  including  the  amount  of  funds  allocated  to Maharashtra,  West  Bengal  and  Bihar  in  this  regard  and  the  formal  process  followed  for organizing such an event to promote tourism and business in the States?

## MINISTER OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN

## ANSWER REGION (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a)The  Ministry  of  Culture  administers  various  schemes  such  as  Repertory  Grant,  Cultural Function Production Grant and Financial Assistance to Cultural Organisation with National Presence etc. under which grants are being given as financial assistance to the organisations to organise cultural events throughout the country including the States of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar. Besides, Seven Zonal Cultural Centres across the country play a key role in promotion of culture through the programmes decided in consultation with their member States.
- (b)The details of the Zonal Cultural Centres organizing various cultural programmes in the States of Maharasthra, West Bengal and Bihar are given as under:-

|   Sl. No. | Name of the State   | Concerned Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs)                                           |
|-----------|---------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Maharashtra         | West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC) and South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC)   |
|         2 | West Bengal         | Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre(EZCC)                                               |
|         3 | Bihar               | Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre(EZCC)and North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC) |

The  part  of  the  grants  provided  to  the  said  Zonal  Cultural  Centres  are  being  utilized  to organise  cultural  programmes  in  Maharashtra,  West  Bengal  andBihar.  However,  the execution process is not administered at district level in the above said states.

- (c)  All the financial grant Schemes administered by the Ministry of Culture are Central Sector Schemes and no State-wise / UT-wise allocation of fund is made. Similarly, in respect of Zonal Cultural Centres, regular grant-in-aid is provided by the Government for organising cultural programmes / activities throughout the country including the State of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar.However, no State / UT-wise funds are provided by the Government.

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