Lok Sabha Question No. 991 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Plan for Cultural Programmes
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Zia Ur Rehman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-991 ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## PLAN FOR CULTURAL PROGRAMMES

## †991. SHRI ZIA UR REHMAN:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any plan has been made by the Government to organise cultural programmes of India at national and international level; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (b) To organize cultural  programmes of  India  at  international  level,  Ministry  of Culture signs Cultural Exchange Programmes (CEPs) for disseminating Indian art and culture across  the  globe.  The  Cultural  Exchange  programmes  promote  India's  soft  power  for developing and strengthening India's inter-cultural relations with other countries. The CEPs facilitate  cultural  exchanges  with  other  countries  in  different  areas  like  music  and  dance, theatre,  museums  &  science  museums,  libraries,  archives,  protection  and  conservation  of historic monuments and archaeological sites, literature, research and documentation, festival, among others.

Ministry of Culture also implements a scheme titled 'Global Engagement Scheme' to promote  India's  rich  cultural  heritage  and  enhance  India's  image  in  the  global  arena  in  a concerted  manner.  The  objective  of  the  Scheme  is  to  provide  artists  practicing  Indian  art forms, an opportunity to perform abroad under the banner of 'Festival of India'. Under the Scheme,  artists  from  diverse  cultural  fields  such  as  Folk  Art  including  Folk  Music,  Folk Dance, Folk Theatre & Puppetry, Classical and Traditional Dance, Experimental/ Contemporary Dance, Classical/ Semi Classical Music, Theatre etc. perform in the 'Festivals of  India'  abroad.  Ministry  of  Culture  has  empanelled  627  artists/groups  under  various  art forms for performing in the Festivals of India abroad.

Besides,  Ministry  of  Culture  promotes  Indian  folk  art,  culture  and  music  abroad through  Grant-in-aid  to  Indo-foreign  Friendship  Cultural  Societies  in  Foreign  countries  for organizing different cultural programmes and activities.

Ministry of External Affairs has a programme called Promotion of Cultural Ties with Diaspora (PCTD) under which limited amount of funds are extended to Indian Missions/Posts abroad  to  encourage  the  Indian  Diaspora  overseas  to  organise  cultural  programmes  with  a view to connect them to their roots. The scheme aims to nourish and strengthen the cultural bonds between India and its Diaspora and to reinforce the cultural identity of the persons of Indian origin.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), an autonomous organization under Ministry of External Affairs, promotes Indian culture worldwide through its Cultural Centres and  Missions/  Posts  abroad.  Activities  conducted  by  them  include  inter-alia,  teaching  of Yoga,  Dance,  Music  (vocal  and  instrumental),  Sanskrit  and  Hindi;  organising/  supporting Conferences/ Seminars/ Workshops in different fields of Indian culture; supporting Chairs of Indian Studies in  foreign universities; gifting of busts/ statues of Mahatma Gandhi and other national  icons,  exchanging  visual  arts  exhibitions,  celebrating    International  Day  of  Yog, Ayurveda Day and  Indian festivals,  promoting  Indian  films,  hosting  visitors  under  various Visitors Programmes (Academic/ Distinguished/ Important/ Gen. Next Democracy Network) and sponsoring scholarships to foreign students under different scholarship schemes. ICCR has also concluded MoUs with various State Governments to promote their culture abroad and to facilitate cultural exchanges with foreign countries. ICCR also hosts incoming foreign cultural troupes to enable Indians to discover various foreign countries.

To organize cultural programmes at national level and to protect, preserve & promote various  forms  of  folk  art  and  culture,  the  Government  of  India  has  set  up  seven  Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur.  These  ZCCs  organize  various  cultural  activities  and  programmes like  Shilpgram  Utsav,  Orange  City  Craft  Mela,  Octave-Festival  of  North  East,  Salangai Naadam,  Geeta  Jayanti  Mahotsav,  National  Crafts  Fair,  Rashtriya  Shilp  Mela,  Fete-dePuducherry, Chandigarh National Crafts  Mela,  Sindhu  Darshan  Festival,  Purbanchalia  Lok Mohotsav etc. throughout the country on regular basis.

In  addition,  the  Ministry  of  Culture  also  organizes  Rashtriya  Sanskriti  Mahotsavs (RSMs) in the country and since 2015, the Ministry has organized 14 RSMs and 04 Zonal Level RSMs through its ZCCs up till now. These RSMs aim at bringing together the cultural diversity of India and reconnecting the younger generation to their roots and also make them aware about cultural heritage and ancient cultural values of the country by way of providing an effective platform to a large number of artists from all over India who display their talents during these programmes.

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