Ministry of Culture implements “Global Engagement Scheme” to promote India’s rich cultural heritage and enhance India’s image in the global arena in a concerted manner. Under the Scheme, the Festival of India (FoI) is organized abroad to promote people to people connect and bilateral cultural contacts. 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.
The Ministry of Culture also promotes Indian folk art, culture and music abroad through Grant-in-aid to Indo –Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies under which Grants are released to Indian Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies in foreign countries for organizing different cultural programmes and activities.
During 2013-14 to 2023-24, total 62 FoIs have been held in different countries. Total 2348 artists including folk artists have participated in these FoIs.
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 India.
The Ministry of Culture also administers a Scheme by name of ‘Scheme for financial assistance for veteran artists’ under which financial assistance is provided to old artistes (including folk artists) aged 60 years and above who are in indigent circumstances with annual income upto Rs. 72,000/. These artists should have contributed significantly in their active years or are still contributing towards arts, culture and letters. Under this Scheme financial assistance of upto Rs. 6000/- per month is provided to the selected artists after adjusting the amount of State artist pension received, if any.
Ministry of Culture has empaneled artists/groups under various art forms. The artists are selected from the empaneled list for performing in the Festivals of India abroad. Currently, 15 artists/groups, including 11 folk artists/groups, from Gujarat, are empaneled with Ministry of Culture. However, no artist from Dahod is empaneled.
No artist from Dahod is receiving financial assistance under “Scheme for financial assistance for veteran artists”.
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