Lok Sabha Question No. 168 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-21
Subject: Promotion of Old Cultural Folk Dances
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Smt. Malvika Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-168

ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025

## PROMOTION OF OLD CULTURAL FOLK DANCES

## 168. SMT. MALVIKA DEVI:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to promote Indian culture like chap dance of Saraikela and Kharsuan, Ghumra of Kalahandi etc.;
- (b) whether the Government has any plans to open any Government institutes for keeping the old cultural folk dances alive and promoting them for the coming generations and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure that some pension should be given to these old folk dancers?

## ANSWER

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

(a) To  promote  Indian  culture  like  chap  dance  of  Saraikela  and  Kharsuan,  Ghumra  of Kalahandi etc., the Government of India has set up Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) with  headquarters  at  Kolkata  which  has  organized  as  well  as  participated  in  the  following major cultural activities relating to Chap Dance of Saraikela and Kharsuan and Ghumra of Kalahandi in the last five years:-

-  Ghumra Dance troupe participated in Parab Tribal Dance Festival organized from 1618 November, 2024 at Koraput, Odisha.
-  Ghumra Dance performance during Vilupt Lok Evam Janjatiya Kala Uthan Mahotsav on 16 November, 2024 at Kalahandi, Odisha.
-  Chhau  Festival  in  collaboration  with  Chhau  Nritya  Kala  Kendra,  Kharsawan, Jharkhand on 18-19 October, 2024 at Kharsawan, Jharkhand.
-  Sanskritik Utsav (Traditional Music & Dance Festival) on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit  Mahotsav  in  collaboration  with  Chhau  Nritya  Kala  Kendra,  Kharsawan, Jharkhand on 4-5 January, 2023 at Kharsawan, Jharkhand.
-  Ghumra Dance troupe performed in Mondei-2023 organized in December, 2023 at Nabarangpur District, Odisha.
-  Ghumra  Dance  performance  during  Independence  Day  Celebration  on  15  August, 2022 & 2023 at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
-  Ghumra Dance troupe participated in 27 th Sambalpur Lok Mahotsav organized from 4-6 January, 2022 at Sambalpur, Odisha.
-  Chhau Dance Festival in collaboration with Chhau Chaupal, Chandankiyare, Jharkhand from 26-28 Dec, 2021 at Chandankiyare, Jharkhand.
-  The Ghumra Dance performance was also featured during the Republic Day Parade on 26 January, 1999.

(b) The Government of India has already set up seven  Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur to protect, promote & preserve various forms of folk art & culture including old cultural folk dances. These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programmes on regular basis in the country for which they engage folk artists from all over Indiawho showcase their talent during these programmes.

Besides,  Ministry  of  Culture  through  its  ZCCs  also  organizes  Rashtriya  Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) at national level in the country by providing a platform to a large number of folk artists from all over India. Till date, 14 RSMs and 04 Zonal Level RSMs have been organized by the Ministry of Culture across the country.

For keeping the old cultural folk dances & other art forms alive and also promoting them  for  the  coming  generations,  the  Ministry  of  Culture  has  adopted  a  multi-pronged approach. A cornerstone of this effort is the Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme implemented through Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs). This scheme facilitates the transmission of rare art traditions  from  veteran  artists  to  the  younger  generation  in  the  traditional  Gurukula  style. Gurus and their disciples receive structured financial support and selected disciples are also given  opportunities  to  perform  at  various  cultural  festivals  and  events,  ensuring  wider recognition and continuity of the art forms.

In  parallel,  the  Research  &  Documentation  Scheme  supports  the  preservation  and promotion of fading visual and performing arts across disciplines like music, dance, theatre, literature and  fine arts. This  initiative  documents  these  traditions  in both  print  and audiovisual formats, with the selection of art forms done in consultation with State Cultural Departments.

Also,  the  Ministry  of  Culture,  through  ZCCs,  organized  the  Vilupt  Lok  Evam Janjatiya Kala Utthan Mahotsav from October, 2024 to March, 2025. Held at the divisional level  across  all  seven  cultural  zones,  this  festival  was  a  collaborative  effort  involving  the Ministry of Textiles, State Governments and academic institutions. It featured intensive 1521 day workshops every week, offering immersive training and exposure to traditional art forms,  thereby  creating  a  vibrant  platform  for  reviving  and  keeping  alive  the  diverse  art forms of the country.

(c)   Ministry of Culture administers a scheme namely 'Scheme for Financial Assistance to Veteran Artists' under which financial assistance is provided to the eligible veteran artists. The eligibility criteria of the scheme is as under:

- i. the applicant artist should have contributed significantly in their specialized fields of arts, letters etc. in their active age or are still contributing;
- ii. the applicant artist should not be less than 60 years of age;
- iii.  annual income of the applicant must not exceed Rs. 72,000/-;
- iv.  the  applicant  artist  should  be  a  recipient  of  artists  pension  of  at  least  Rs.  500/-  per month  from  the  concerned  State  Government/  UT  Administration  or  the  artistic credentials  of  the  applicant  are  verified  and  recommended  by  the  concerned  Zonal Cultural Centre (ZCC), Ministry of Culture; and
- v. the applicant artist should not be getting financial assistance under any other scheme of the Ministry of Culture.

The  details  of  financial  assistance  provided  to  artists  under  the  'Scheme  for  Financial Assistance to Veteran Artists' during the last three years are as under:

| Sl.No.   | Financial Year   |   Financial Assistance (Rs. in crore) |
|----------|------------------|---------------------------------------|
| i.       | 2022-23          |                                 15.42 |
| ii.      | 2023-24          |                                 18.59 |
| iii.     | 2024-25          |                                 26.09 |