Schemes for Artists

The Honorable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh had announced a scheme of Financial Assistance of Rs.500/- per month for 3,000 Artists all over the State in the year 1999 and an amount of Rs.180 lakhs were allocated for the scheme.

This is a good scheme for the poor and indigent Artists who had crossed the age of 58 years.

The Directorate of Culture has made the main agency to operate the scheme. A committee is nominated by Government to go in to individuals application recommended by district authorities and finalization of financial assistance to men of letters and arts.

As on date 2,546 persons are being provided with financial assistance of Rs. 500/- per month.

This scheme is a novel one. It is implemented under the following categories

State Scheme: Fourty Six eminent personalities of art and culture are benefited @ Rs. 1,000/- per month. The allocated budget in the scheme is Rs. 28.00 lakhs under Plan. The Department is calling for fresh applications during this year for select the eminent scholars.

State Central Scheme: Under this scheme only 15 nos. of beneficiaries are provided financial assistance. The scheme is shared between central Government and State Government on 2:1 ratio. And also five persons are benefited under the ratio 3:1

The Department of Culture has District Council for Cultural Affairs as a nodal agency to implement the policies of the Government pertaining to culture. Government is providing Financial Assistance to these organisations @ Rs.25,000/- per annum to take up the policies to the common man.

Besides this, the Government of India, Sangeetha Nataka Akademy and other bodies are also releasing grants to the Voluntary Cultural Organisations. Thus, these organisations are acting as a bridge for the development of culture in the rural areas.

The Government have established A.P. State Cultural Council in 1996. Padmasri Dr.C.Narayana Reddy, Member Parliament, is the Chairman of the Council. It has a Secretary and other staff to run the day-to-day administration. Government provides Grant-in-aid of Rupees Thirty Lakhs only to the Council.

A committee consisting of five members is nominated by Government to chalk out the activities of the Council. It is an advisory body to the Government in the field of Art and Culture. The Council is awarding HAMSA Awards to the artists of repute at the state level. For the few years it is advising the Government to develop the culture with its innovative ideas and also proposed to constitute a Cultural Fund and Cultural policy for the state.

The A.P. Theatre Repertory Institute was established for training the Theatre artists in the field of social, pouranic, dramas and street plays, etc. A well acquainted person in the field of theatre is appointed as Director to the institute.

It is playing a vital role in developing theatre arts in the pouranic, social, dramas already several schemes are operated for the benefit of the theatre artists.