Scheme for Pension and Medical Aid to Artists during the last three years
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
LOK SABHA
SCHEME FOR PENSION AND MEDICAL AID TO ARTISTS
113. SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA:
Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of applicants benefitted under the Scheme for Pension and Medical Aid to Artists during the last three years;
(b) the details and release of funds under the said Scheme State-wise.
(c) the State/Union territory-wise details of such artists benefitted under the scheme during each year of the last two years and the current year;
(d) whether the Government has taken any other efforts in providing assistance to the distressed artists due to Covid pandemic; and
(e) if so, the details thereof ?
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a) A total of 9308 applicants are benefitted during the last three years under the Scheme of Pension and Medical Aid to Artistes. The year –wise details are as follows:-
|
Financial Year |
Number of beneficiaries paid * |
|
2018-19 |
4120 |
|
2019-20 |
3188 |
|
2020-21 |
2000 # |
|
Financial Year |
Funds Allocated (in crores) |
Total fund released (in crores) |
|
2018-19 |
25.00 |
19.73 |
|
2019-20 |
21.15 |
18.17 |
|
2020-21 |
12.36 |
8.71 |
|
Financial Year |
Total artistes benefitted under the Scheme |
|
2019-20 |
3188 |
|
2020-21 |
2000 |
|
2021-22 (till date) |
155 |
- In view of the prevailing conditions, the Ministry of Culture issued guidelines in October, 2020 to help artists/organizations who have already been sanctioned grant under various scheme components of ‘Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana (KSVY)’ to conduct events on virtual mode. This will enable them to avail benefits under these schemes even if they are not able to stage programs in the physical format as before and will ensure continued financial assistance to tide over the present crisis.
- All efforts have been made to release the funds to already approved grantees under various schemes of the P.Arts Bureau. The funds released during the first quarter of F.Y. 2020-21 was much more than that released during 1st quarter of FY 2019-2020. Similar efforts are being made in this financial year also.
- In cases of renewal cases under Repertory Grant, after every four years mandatory inspection is required to be undertaken. For fresh cases before release of first grant inspection is compulsory as per existing guidelines. In view of the lockdown conditions of COVID-19 exemption has been granted to organizations from above mentioned mandatory inspection for release of yearly grant under Repertory Grant Scheme for the last year as well as current year.
- All help is also being extended to the beneficiaries for completing various procedural formalities like compliance of mandatory EAT (Expenditure Advance Transfer) Module of Public Financial Management System (PFMS). This is a module of PFMS which is being operated by Ministry of Finance. Organisations who are receiving grants from the Ministries are required to file their expenditure details on the portal. In view of the prevalent Covid conditions, for the Scheme component of Cultural Function & Production Grant (CFPG), one-time exemption has been granted to the organizations from filing the expenditure in EAT module for release of 1st instalment to the grantees of 43rd and previous meetings of CFPGS.
- In view of COVID-19, under the Scheme of Scholarship & Fellowship for Promotion of Art & Culture, selection of Senior Fellows for the Batch Year 2019-20 & mid-term and final evaluation of 06 monthly reports of earlier batches (upto Batch Year 2017-18) in respect of both Junior/Senior Fellows has been held through virtual mode in view of the large number of members of the expert committee.
- Under the scheme of ‘Artists Pension’ one time exemption has been granted regarding submission of the mandatory annual income certificate by the pensioners.
- All the ZCCs have encouraged the folk artists/artisans to get registered with their member States in order to avail the schemes announced by the states.
- Efforts made to engage artists during Commemoration events enabling them to avail financial benefits out of the grants released by the Ministry.
- Folk artists from member States are offered ZCC’s online platforms to showcase their performance and earn some money. These folk artists are being paid honorarium as per the existing norms.
- During the first lockdown the ZCC’s organised 881 virtual programs which benefitted 22,070 artists & Rs 2.82Crs were distributed as honorarium ranging from Rs. 500- 5100 (Groups paid Rs 25000-50000). Similar efforts being continued this year too.
- Live online performances on social media handles like Facebook, YouTube etc. by folk & tribal artists, Webinars etc. are being conducted in addition to charity performances by renowned artists.
- South Zone Cultural centre (SZCC), Thanjavur in association with a Chennai based NGO Samarpana organized an online fund raising programme ”Notes of Nector-100 for 1000” participated by eminent artists from North and South. This fund raiser initiative has enabled 1200 families of folk artists to get financial assistance groceries etc. during Covid-19 pandemic.
- After both the Amphan and Yash cyclones, the artistes living in the worst affected areas of Sunderbans, namely Sandeshkhali, Fraserganj and Gosaba were visited by EZCC teams and given help in the form of dry food.
- All ZCC’s took care of artistes admitted to hospitals/nursing homes and held consultations with doctors to ensure the best treatment for them.
- Vaccination Camps in collaboration with a multispecialty hospital in Kolkata was arranged by EZCC through CSR fund for their artistes.
- Emergency lifesaving medicines/injections required by some of the artists admitted in the hospital were arranged by ZCC’s through Health Department of the State Governments.
- During the period of COVID-19 outbreak the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) has substantialized e-learning workshop as pilot project on Virtual Classroom (online) platform. This e-learning workshop introduces the participants to the rich fabric to artistic and cultural heritage of India.
- During May – 2020 to till date CCRT organised 29 E-learning Workshops and 01 Workshop in blended mode, in which 222 Experts / Resource Persons/ Artists/Musician/Theatre Artists/ Dancers/Craftsmen /Accompanists have been paid honorarium and TA as per CCRT norms.
- CCRT organized a series of recorded live solo performances of CCRT Scholarship holders and Young Scholar Artistes under the theme “Meri Kala Hi Meri Pehchan Hai” on CCRT’s Face book page. CCRT has telecasted 48 numbers of episodes from May 2020 to April 2021 in which 157 numbers of Scholarship holders and young Scholar Artistes have performed and showcased their talents. In both these events financial benefits were provided to the Experts as well as the Scholarship holders and Young Scholar Artists.
- Since the lockdown in March, 2020, Sangeet Natak Akademi has been conducting online activities like Antrang, Abhivyakti, Deeksha and Kalaadhar. The artist, technicians, back stage designers and other ancillary artists invited for this events have been paid the performance fee as per Akademi norms so that they can be benefitted monetarily during the Covid pandemic.