Lok Sabha Question No. 2654 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-17
Subject: Promotion of Indian Art and Culture
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Smt. Manju Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2654

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2025

## PROMOTION OF INDIAN ART AND CULTURE

†2654.  Smt. Manju Sharma:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to s tate:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  propose  to  promote  Indian  folk  arts  and  culture  in  foreign countries;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d)  the details of incentives being provided to improve the financial condition of folk artists?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) : Ministry of Culture implements 'Global Engagement Scheme" to promote India's rich cultural heritage internationally and enhance India's global image.

The  key  Scheme objectives  include  strengthening  cultural  ties  with  foreign  nations,  promoting bilateral cultural contacts, projecting India's cultural identity on the world stage and encouraging inbound tourism.

The Global Engagement Scheme is administered through Indian Missions abroad to achieve its objective through following components:

## I) Festival of India:

The artists practicing Indian art forms, are given opportunity to perform abroad under the banner of  'Festival  of  India'.  The  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.

## II) Grant in aid to Indo Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies:

Grant  in  aid  is  released  to  Indo  Foreign  Friendship  Cultural  Societies  actively  functioning  in foreign  counties  through  our  Indian  Missions  with  the  object  of  fostering  closer  friendship  and cultural contacts between India and foreign country concerned.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), an autonomous organisation under Ministry of External  Affairs  (MEA),  promotes  Indian  culture  (including  folk  arts  &  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  Yoga  and  Indian  festivals,  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 cultures.

(d) :  Ministry of Culture has empaneled 627 artists/groups under various art forms and artists are selected from the empaneled list for deputing to perform in the Festivals of India abroad. The Folk artists  are  paid  performance  fee  @  Rs.  35,000/-  (to  leader/main  artist)  and  @  Rs.  7000/-  (to accompanying artist) for each performance in Festival of lndia.

Also,  the  Ministry  of  Culture  administers  a  Scheme  by  the  name  of  'Financial  Assistance  for Veteran Artists' with the objective to support old and poor artists aged 60 and above, who have contributed  significantly  in  their  specialized  fields  of  arts,  letters  including  folk  art  or  are  still contributing.  Financial assistance under this scheme is provided maximum up to Rs. 6000/- per month to the selected artists after adjusting the amount of State artists pension received, if any.

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