PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

Kolkata, March 17, 2025

In a written reply to the unstarred question posed in the Lok Sabha today seeking details of the current initiatives along with the schemes undertaken to preserve and promote rich cultural and heritage, including arts, music, and literature of West Bengal and Maharashtra and the details of the measures being implemented by the respective Governments to support local artists, folk artists, cultural institutions, and traditional crafts programme and schemes of both the States by MPs Shri Jagannath Sarkar, Shri Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh and Shri Kalipada Saren Kherwal, the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stated, that the Ministry of Culture administers various schemes throughout the country including West Bengal and Maharashtra to preserve and promote rich cultural and heritage of India. He added, the Ministry of Culture recently declared ‘Bengali’ and ‘Marathi’ as classical languages. Besides, the Ministry through its following autonomous bodies encourages the preservation and promotion of culture as follows, the Union Minister pointed out:

(a)        Sahitya Akademi (SA), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, promotes literature in the 24 languages recognised by it. Apart from literature of those languages, Akademi also promotes large and diverse tribal and oral traditions of the country. Some of these literary creations are adapted into other art forms as well and Sahitya Akademi promotes such initiatives through programme series like Loka and Avishkar.

Sahitya Akademi has published around 350 books in Marathi and around 450 books in Bengali in originals including anthologies and translations and many of these titles have been reprinted a number of times.

(b)        Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) regularly organises Art Camps /Workshops/Exhibitions/Art Festival etc. inviting artists from all across the country including West Bengal and Maharashtra.

(c)        Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) has been functioning as the apex body in the field of performing arts in the country, preserving and promoting the vast intangible heritage of India’s diverse culture expressed in forms of music, dance, drama and folk & tribal performing arts.

(d)        Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) has been dedicated to linking education with culture since its inception in 1979. It has played a crucial role in integrating cultural heritage into pedagogy by organizing diverse training programs for in-service government and government-aided school teachers (from Primary to Senior Secondary levels), teacher educators (including DIET Lecturers), and administrators.

(b)        The Lalit Kala Akademi, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture maintains regional centers in Kolkata and Chennai. These centers provide art studios for artists working in various disciplines, serving West Bengal and Maharashtra, respectively.

It is to be noted that the Ministry of Culture has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata (West Bengal), Dimapur and Thanjavur. Maharashtra is the member State of South-Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC), Nagpur and West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC), Udaipur while West Bengal is a member of EZCC.  These ZCCs organise various cultural activities and programmes in their member States to promote folk and tribal Culture specially of the member states throughout the year on a regular basis.

This apart, the Union Government, through the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) under the Ministry of Culture, is actively promoting and preserving India's performing arts. In 2018, the SNA established the 'Chhau Kendra' in Chandankiyari, Jharkhand, to specifically support Chhau dance. Additionally, the Akademi's "Kala Deeksha" (Guru Shishya Parampara) scheme funds numerous training programmes. This includes 14 Chhau dance initiatives across Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, with two dedicated programs for Purulia Chhau in West Bengal.

The "Kala Deeksha" scheme supports a variety of traditional art forms. In Maharashtra, it funds training in Shahiri Powada under Guru Dr. Devenanda Mali, Chitrakathi under Guru Shri Ganapath Sakharam Masge and Jaltarang under Guru Shri Milind Tulankar. In West Bengal, the scheme supports traditional music training in Shrikhol under Guru Shri Gopal Barman and Lepcha under Guru Shri Suksing Lepcha. These programmes, all operating under the Guru Shishya Parampara, demonstrate the SNA's commitment to preserving and propagating diverse performing arts across India.

Shri Shekhawat said, the Ministry is dedicated to showcasing West Bengal's rich cultural diversity both nationally and internationally by providing financial assistance for cultural organizations, participation in national festivals like the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, and international cultural exchanges facilitated through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The UNESCO recognition of Durga Puja as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity underscores the global significance of West Bengal's traditions. The Sahitya Akademi, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture showcases Bengali literature and its translations through book fairs and exhibitions like Festival of Letters, Yuva Writers Meet which provides a platform for young artists and cultural practitioners. Simultaneously, the Sangeet Natak Akademi provides national platforms for West Bengal's performing artists, alongside those from other regions, ensuring their talent is recognized and celebrated across India

The Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture actively engages youth and educators through hands-on training in traditional arts, providing free cultural education kits, and supporting scholarship and fellowship programs for in-depth study and documentation.

 Further, the Sangeet Natak Akademi's "Kala Dharohar" initiative brings Indian performing arts directly to schools nationwide, featuring eminent artists and scholars to deepen students' understanding and appreciation of our diverse cultural traditions, thereby fostering a culturally aware and engaged future generation.

Shri Shekhawat also stated that the Ministry administers a scheme namely “Domestic Festivals and Fairs”. The objective of this scheme is to provide assistance for holding the ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs’ organised by the Ministry of Culture. Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) are conducted through Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) where a large number of artists from all over the country, including Maharashtra are engaged to showcase their talents. From November, 2015 onwards, fourteen (14) RSMs and four (04) Zonal Level RSMs have been organised by the Ministry of Culture across the country. Further the Ministry has organised RSM at Mumbai, Maharashtra from February 11 to 19, 2023 where folk artists of Maharashtra were also invited to perform during the program. In addition, a minimum number of 42 Regional Festivals are organised by these ZCCs every year for promotion of art and culture. During the last three years, Rs. 38.67 crore has been released under this scheme.

*********************

SSS/17.3.25/….