Lok Sabha Question No. 133 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Preservation of Folk Dance Forms of Goa
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Captain Viriato Fernandes

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 133

## ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## PRESERVATION OF FOLK DANCE FORMS OF GOA

## *133. SHRI CAPTAIN VIRIATO FERNANDES:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  likely  to  allocate  targeted  grants  and  promote  youth inclusion  under  Kalakar  Kritadnyata  Nidhi  and  Mangrove  Initiative  for  Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) Scheme to rejuvenate Fugdi and Dhalo dance forms observed during festivals in Pernem and Canacona in view of their status being on the verge of extinction, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the measures likely to be implemented by the Government to ensure wider reach  and  cultural  transmission  such  as  offering  performance fees,  marketing  support and  school  outreach  in  view  of  the  declining  participation  and  audiences  at  Kala Academy's Mando Festival;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  likely  to  enforce  transparency  in  cultural  event  funding, safeguard against politicization and require alternate platforms when local festivals are derailed  following  abrupt  cancellation  of  Canacona  Kala  Utsav  in  the  past,  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to launch a 'Living Traditions' documentation and certification  programme  for  folk  forms,  funding  local  archiving,  teacher  training  and digital  performances  to  preserve  Fugdi,  Dhalo,  and  Mando  as  Intangible  Cultural Heritage; and
- (e) the details of the measures taken/being taken by the Government to promote traditional Shigmo festival?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) IN RESPECT OF LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  133  FOR  REPLY  ON  09.02.2026 REGARDING PRESERVATION OF FOLK DANCE FORMS OF GOA ASKED BY SHRI CAPTAIN VIRIATO FERNANDES

(a) Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) programme is being implemented by Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India which was launched as Budget Announcement for financial year 202324 to restore and promote mangroves as unique, natural eco-system and for preserving and enhancing the sustainability of the coastal habitats with the objective to 'Restore Mangrove Forests'  by  undertaking  mangrove  reforestation/  afforestation  measures  along  the  coast  of India. The overall responsibility for implementation of programme vests with the State Forest Department. The MISHTI programme is being implemented through convergence with State Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA - approx. 70%), erstwhile Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)  now  known  as  Viksit  Bharat-Guarantee  for  Rozgar  &  Ajeevika  Mission (Gramin - approx. 30%), Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) and other similar initiatives in the States/UTs with the provision for gap-funding from National CAMPA.

Subsequent  fund  release  is  contingent  upon  compliance  with  MISHTI's  multi-tier monitoring system, which requires state-level monitoring of intervention sites, and submission of physical and financial progress reports as per CAMPA rules.

A sum of Rs. 88.44 crores have been released to the 5 States and 1 Union Territory for  the  treatment  of  9536  ha  of  degraded  mangroves.  The  breakup  of  which  is  provided below:

| Sl. No.   | State/UT       | No. of districts   |   Area under N-CAMPA (in ha) |   Total funds released in FY 2024-25 (Rs. in crores) |   Total funds released in FY 2025-26* (Rs. in crores) |
|-----------|----------------|--------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| i.        | Gujarat        | 02                 |                         2500 |                                               6.2    |                                                37.1   |
| i.        |                | 01                 |                         5000 |                                               0      |                                                24     |
| ii.       | West Bengal    | 03                 |                          478 |                                               3.74   |                                                 0     |
| iii.      | Kerala         | 01                 |                           13 |                                               0.666  |                                                 1.014 |
| iv.       | Puducherry     | 03                 |                           55 |                                               1.94   |                                                 0     |
| v.        | Andhra Pradesh | 06                 |                         1401 |                                               4.709  |                                                 8.368 |
| vi.       | Odisha         | 04                 |                           89 |                                               0.7027 |                                                 0     |
| Total     | Total          | Total              |                         9536 |                                              17.96   |                                                70.482 |

*Status as on 01.02.2026

The Government of India has set up West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC) at Udaipur (Rajasthan) under Ministry of Culture to protect, promote and preserve various forms of folk art  and  culture of  its  member States. Goa is the member State of WZCC. Various cultural activities  &  programmes  are  organized  by  WZCC  on  regular  basis  for  which  they  engage folk/ tribal artists from its member States including the State of Goa.

WZCC  has  included  Kalsi  Fugadi  Dance  &  Dhalo  Dance  in  Yatra  Paschimalap Programme and Dhangari Fugadi in Uttradhikar Programme organized by them during the year  2020-21.  WZCC has also done documentation/ publication work relating to Goa, the details of which are as under:

| i.       | Folk Dances of Goa Kunbi   | Book published   |
|----------|----------------------------|------------------|
| ii. iii. | Tanka Amache Naman Goa     | Audio            |
| iv.      | Mime Workshop Panaji Goa   | Video            |
| v.       | Terracotta Art of Goa      | Video            |

(b) & (c) Kala Academy's Mando Festival and Canacona Kala Utsav are organized by the  Directorate  of  Art  &  Culture,  Government  of  Goa  and  as  such  are  not  in  the administrative domain of Government of India. However, WZCC organizes/ participates in various  cultural  festivals  in  Goa  like  Octave,  Yatra  Paschimalap,  Uttradhikar,  Lokotsav, Balotsav, Ganeshotsav, Natyotsav etc. for which they engage folk/ tribal artists to showcase their  talent  during  these  programmes.  These  artists  are  paid  honorarium,  TA/DA,  local transportation,  boarding  &  lodging  etc.  as  performance  fees  to  enable  them  to  earn  their livelihood.

To  promote  the  traditional  fair  festivals  of  the  country  including  Goa,  Ministry  of Culture runs a scheme viz. Cultural Function and Production Grant Scheme (CFPG) under which financial assistance is provided to organizations for organizing Seminars, Conferences, Research,  Workshops,  Festivals,  Exhibitions,  Symposia,  Production  of  Dance,  DramaTheatre, Music etc. The grant released to the organizations located in Goa under this scheme during the last five years is as under:

| Sl. No.   | Year    |   (Rs. in lakh) Amount released |
|-----------|---------|---------------------------------|
| i.        | 2020-21 |                            0.75 |
| ii.       | 2021-22 |                            3.75 |
| iii.      | 2022-23 |                            0.62 |
| iv.       | 2023-24 |                            1.5  |
| v.        | 2024-25 |                            2.12 |

(d) The ZCCs under Ministry of Culture play a pivotal role to preserve, document and disseminate  our  folk  and  tribal  art  forms  amongst  the  new  generation  of  enthusiasts  & practitioners and undertake documentation work which includes Audio, Video, Publication, Monographs viz. Lac Doll, Natua, Chadar Badar Puppetry, Gotipua Dance, Saura Painting, Mural  Paintings,  Lama  Dance,  Mayurbhanj  Chhau,  Giddha  Folk  Dance,  Jhoomer  Dance, Monastries of Ladakh, Bhand Pather, Phummaniyam, Burrakatha, Song of Kalamkari, Dhola Maru, Sarguja Ke Pahadi Korba, Khadi Gammat, Liangmai Naga Folk Songs, Miteri Sainu, Angami Folk Songs, Documentary Films (Horn House,  Rikhiya Bhawan & Dhangari Gaza), Lambadi,  Bommalattam,  Pulikali,  Shadow  Puppetry,  Deva  Koothu,  Sambalpuri  Dance, Manthrankam Koodiyattam, Kaniyan Koothu, Kathakali, Kummati Kali, Gorwara Kunitha, Kani  Halige,  Jogathi  Nritya,  Sutradha  Gombe,  Suggi  Kunitha,  Karadimajalu,  Nilgare, Bonalu,  Dhimsa  Nritya,  Resonating  Burra,  Ganesh  Nartan,  Folk  Dances  of  Goa  &  Kunbi (Book Published), Terracotta Art, Mime Workshop, Tanka Amache Naman etc.

Centre  for  Cultural  Resources  and  Training  (CCRT),  an  autonomous  body  under Ministry  of  Culture,  Government  of  India,  has  been  committed  to  linking  education  with culture since  its  inception  in  1979.  CCRT  has  played  a  pivotal  role  in  embedding  cultural heritage  into  pedagogy  by  conducting  diverse  training  programs  aimed  at  in-service government  and  government-aided  school  teachers,  teacher  educators  and  administrators, ranging from Primary to Senior Secondary levels. CCRT has also implemented the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in all its teacher training programs and workshops, ensuring that  cultural  education  aligns  with  the  vision  of  the  NEP  to  promote  holistic  and  multidisciplinary learning.

CCRT also collects material on Indian Culture and Cultural Heritage in the form of Video Documentary films to preserve them and these films are given to the schools to use in variety of teaching and learning situations to promote them.

(e) Shigmo festival is organized by Directorate of Art & Culture, Government of Goa. The  Ministry  supports  the  festival  by  way  of  sponsoring  artists  through  WZCC  upon  the request of Department of Art & Culture, Government of Goa.

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