Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The government has initiated several measures to preserve the country’s rich tribal culture and arts, which include liberal grants to zonal cultural centres and various non-profit organisations, parliament was told Wednesday.

“The ministry of culture provided Rs.1,481.23 lakh for the promotion of tribal performing arts and Rs.1,627.68 lakh to the zonal culture centres to preserve tribal cultures,” V. Narayanswamy, Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs and in-charge of culture, told the Lok Sabha, furnishing details of the financial allocations.

The ministry of tribal affairs and culture granted Rs.267.21 lakh to tribal research institutes, he said.

Replying to a query on whether the prime minister had prepared any action plan for the promotion and preservation of tribal language, arts and culture, he said the state governments “have taken steps to promote 40 tribal languages as part of the national policy on education, including Sarva Siksha Abhiyan”.

The Sahitya Akademi has recognised 24 Indian languages, including Bodo and Santhali. In addition, the Sahitya Akademi has established a North East Centre for Oral Literature at Agartala to steer ethnic literature to the mainstream.

The central government has set up seven zonal cultural centres to support folk and traditional arts in the country through several schemes, Narayanswamy said.

The schemes include the National Cultural Exchange Programme, Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme, Young Talented Artistes Scheme, Documentation of Vanishing Art Forms, Theatre Rejuvenation Scheme and Shilpagram activities, he said.

Two festivals — Lok Tarang, the national folk dance festival, and Octave, the festival of the North East — facilitate propagation and enrichment of tribal and folk cultures with experimentation and performances, he added.