From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, May 23: Five State-level academies in Karnataka -- Sahitya, Natak, Janapada, Sangeetha, Nruthya and Lalithakala – will be getting an enhanced grant of Rs 1 crore a year as against the present annual grant of Rs 60 lakh.
This was announced by Minister of Sate for Kannada and Culture Umashree in Bangalore on Friday.
The minister addressed a news conference after a meeting of all the chairpersons and members of the 11 State-level academies in the State.
The annual grant for the other academies has been increased from the present Rs 45 lakh to Rs 65 lakh, she said.
She said the State Government decided to enhance the grants of the academies to ensure that the various cultural and other activities would be increased from the current year.
The minister said the State Government has also decided to conduct social auditing into utilisation of funding by academies.
The monthly honorarium for chairpersons of 11 academies has been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 while local allowance has been up from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. Telephone allowance of the chairperson has been fixed at Rs 3,000 a month.
The minister felicitated chairpersons and members of Karnataka Lalitha Kala Academy, Janapada Academy, Kannada Book Authority, Sangeetha Nruthya Academy, Nataka Academy, Sahitya Academy, Yakshagana Bayalata Academy, Shilpakala Academy, Kuvempu Bhasha Bharati Authority, Tulu Sahitya Academy and Beary Academy.
Stating that cultural activities should not be Bangalore centric, Umashree called upon chairpersons and artistes to stage plays and conduct programmes in various places in districts.
Academies must work collectively to develop art, language and culture in small towns and villages, she said.
NGOs would conduct social auditing in utilisation of government grants by academies to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of various programmes.
About release of pension money to artistes, she said pension money would be released to artistes accounts directly every month, she said.