Lok Sabha Question No. 85 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Preservation of Cultural Heritage of  Uttarakhand
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. † 85

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025

## PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE OF UTTARAKHAND

## † 85. SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  scheme  for  preservation  of  the  cultural heritage of the Uttarakhand State;
- (b) the efforts being made to promote cultural festivals and folk art;
- (c) whether any financial assistance is being provided to the local artists; and
- (d) the extent to which these initiatives have helped in conservation of cultural heritage?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) There  are  43  centrally  protected  monuments/sites  under  the  care  and  maintenance  of
- & Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the state of Uttarakhand. Conservation of these
- (b) monuments/sites is taken up as per the need and availability of resources subject to the National  Policy  for  Conservation,  and  these  monuments/sites  are  in  a  good  state  of preservation.

The  Sangeet  Natak  Akademi  is  committed  to  the  preservation  and  promotion  of  folk, traditional  and  tribal  performing arts through its  schemes. The Akademi has organized the following festivals in Uttarakhand in the recent past:

-  Kala  Dharohar  -  a  series  of  Workshops  dedicated  to  Meera  Bai  at  Suyalbari, Nainital, 23-24 August 2024
-  Kala Dharohar - a series of Workshops dedicated to Meera Bai at Dehradun 1415 November 2024
-  Kala Dharohar - a series of Workshops dedicated to Meera Bai at Tapowan, Tehri Garhwal, 14-15 November 2024
-  Kala Dharohar, a series of Workshops dedicated to Meera Bai at Chamoli, 11-12 December 2024
-  Kala Pravah- The Akademi organized two-day festivals of music and dance on 06 July 2024 at the Kasar Devi Temple at Almora
-  Kala  Pravaah,  Mandir  Utsav  Series,  in  June  2023  at  Kasar  Devi  Mandir  at Almora.

To protect, promote  and preserve various  forms  of folk  art  and  culture  throughout  the country, the Government of India has also set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programmes on regular basis in their member States. As Uttarakhand is a member State of both North Zone Cultural Centre (NCZC), Patiala and North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC), Prayagraj, cultural festivals and art promotion in Uttarakhand are organized by these ZCCs.

Besides,  Ministry  of  Culture  also  organizes  Rashtriya  Sanskriti  Mahotsavs  (RSMs)  at national level through these ZCCs where a large number of folk & tribal artists including local artists from all over India are engaged to showcase their talents to spread awareness about our rich cultural heritage.

Further, Sangeet Natak Akademi has started the following four training programmes of performing art forms of Uttarakhand under the scheme 'Kala Deeksha' (Guru Shishya Parampara)

- -Folk  Songs  of  Garhwal  region  (Padavani  &  Manglik  Geet)  under  Guru  Ganga Devi Rana, Chamoli.
- -Mashak Been under Guru Harish Lal, Chamoli
- -Hudka under Guru Loveraj Ram, Munsiyari.
- -Folk  Songs  of  Kumaon  region  (Neoli,  Chhapeli,  Bhagnaul  and  Sanskar  Geet) Pushpa Fartyal, Almora.
- (c) Sangeet Natak Akademi's scheme of Financial Assistance to Cultural Institution is one of the several schemes formulated by the Akademi to further its objectives. Year - wise beneficiary Cultural institutions of Uttarakhand are as under:
- (d) Through its various programs, Ministry of Culture is seeing a positive impact to preserve and promote Cultural heritage.

| Year    |   No. of organisations | Total amount   |
|---------|------------------------|----------------|
| 2021-22 |                     05 | 2.0 lakh       |
| 2022-23 |                     08 | 3.30 lakh      |
| 2023-24 |                     05 | 2.20 lakh      |

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