Lok Sabha Question No. 2529 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-14
Subject: Financial Assistance to Artists
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: RAVINDRA BABU  PANDULA, B. SREERAMULU, HARISHCHANDRA DEORAM CHAVAN, ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY, J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY, PRATHAP SIMHA, RAJAN BABURAO  VICHARE, CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK   SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2529

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2015

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ARTISTS

## 2529   DR. RAVINDRA BABU:

SHRI  B. SRIRAMULU:

SHRI  HARISHCHANDRA  CHAVAN:

SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY:

SHRI J.C.DIVAKAR REDDY:

SHRI  PRATHAP SIMHA:

SHRI RAJAN VICHARE:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to introduce a new welfare/pension/ honorarium  scheme  for  the  welfare  of  cultural  artists  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (b) whether any grant, pension or financial assistance/honorarium/ scholarship has been granted to such artists in the country;
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof,  State/UT-  wise  and  art-wise  amount  of scholarship/financial assistance provided to each artist and the criteria fixed for providing financial assistance under the scheme along with the funds allocated and expenditure incurred thereon during the last three years;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to increase the financial assistance to such artists under the said scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether Government is considering to give any concession in travelling and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) FOR CULTURE AND TOURISM

## AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR CIVIL AVIATION

(Dr. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) The Ministry of Culture administers the 'Artistes Pension Scheme and Welfare Fund' Scheme for the welfare of cultural artists.
- (b) Yes, Madam.
- (c) Under the Scheme, financial assistance for the welfare of artists whose personal income (including income of the spouse) does not exceed Rs. 4,000/-  per  month  and  who  are  not  less  than  60  years  of  age  are considered  for  financial  assistance  of  Rs.  4,000/-  p.m.  under  Central Quota  and  with  maximum  of  Rs.  3,500/-  p.m.  under  Central  -  State Quota,  the  remaining  balance  of  Rs.4000/-  being  given  by  the  State Governments. The  eligible artists should have  made  significant contribution  in  the  field  of  arts,  letters,  etc.  for  being  considered  for financial assistance under this Scheme. A statement showing the statewise number of beneficiaries is enclosed as Annexure. The total amount of funds allocated and disbursed under the scheme in the last 3 years are as under:-

## (Rs. In Crore)

| Year    |   Budget allocated |   Financial assistance granted |
|---------|--------------------|--------------------------------|
| 2012-13 |              15.72 |                          15.22 |
| 2013-14 |              19.35 |                          15.31 |
| 2014-15 |              19    |                          17.64 |

- (d) No, Madam.
- (e) No, Madam.

## ANNEXURE

State-wise details of Artistes / dependents availing financial assistance under the 'Artistes Pension Scheme and Welfare Fund".

| Sl. No.   | States           |   No. of Beneficiaries |
|-----------|------------------|------------------------|
| 1.        | Andhra Pradesh   |                    270 |
| 2.        | Assam            |                     52 |
| 3.        | Bihar            |                     46 |
| 4.        | Delhi            |                     50 |
| 5.        | Goa              |                     11 |
| 6.        | Gujarat          |                      6 |
| 7.        | Haryana          |                     33 |
| 8.        | Himachal Pradesh |                      7 |
| 9.        | Jammu & Kashmir  |                      3 |
| 10.       | Jharkhand        |                     10 |
| 11.       | Karnataka        |                    744 |
| 12.       | Kerala           |                    341 |
| 13.       | Madhya Pradesh   |                     55 |
| 14.       | Maharashtra      |                    947 |
| 15.       | Manipur          |                    153 |
| 16.       | Meghalaya        |                      1 |
| 17.       | Mizoram          |                      5 |
| 18.       | Nagaland         |                      3 |
| 19.       | Odisha           |                    300 |
| 20.       | Puducherry       |                      6 |
| 21.       | Punjab           |                      7 |
| 22.       | Rajasthan        |                     21 |
| 23.       | Tamil Nadu       |                    251 |
| 24.       | Telangana        |                    187 |
| 25.       | Tripura          |                      1 |
| 26.       | Uttar Pradesh    |                    261 |
| 27.       | Uttarakhand      |                     15 |
| 28.       | West Bengal      |                     96 |
|           | Total            |                   3882 |