Question : VISIT OF FOREIGN ARTISTS SPORTSPERSONS



(a) the funds allocated for various functions organised by the ICCR during the last two years, year-wise; and

(b) the number of foreign artists/sportspersons etc. who came down to India during the said period, country-wise?

Answer given by the minister

MINISTER OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (AJIT KUMAR PANJA)

(a) The funds allocated for various functions, organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), excluding functions organised by its Cultural Centres abroad for which information is being gathered, during the last two years were as follows:-

1998-1999	:	Rs. 1232 lakhs#	1999-2000	:	Rs. 439 lakhs
# = included Rs.870.0 lakhs additional funds made available to ICCR by MEA for 50th Anniversary celebrations during F.Y. 1998-99
(b) The numbers of foreign artistes/sportspersons who came to India during the last two years are given below:

(i) Performing artistes##
1998-1999 : 860 artistes (including 50th Anniversary) 1999-2000 : 377 artistes
## : details, country -wise, are at Annexure A

(ii) Sportspersons : Department of Sports has indicated that this information is not readily available and is being collated from different sources.

ANNEXURE -`A`

INCOMING CULTURAL DELEGATIONS APRIL, 98 - MARCH, 99
S.No.	Country	No. of Artistes
1. Austria 10

2. Bangladesh 49

3. Bhutan 12

4. Bulgaria 02

5. Croatia 53 6. Cyprus 04

7 Czech Republic 22

8. Egypt 30

9. France 16 10. Greece 08 11. Germany 13 12. Hungary 24 13. Ireland 03 14. Italy 03 15. Kyrghyzstan 32 16. Maldives 14 17. Mauritius 53 18. Morocco 03 19. Myanmar 10 20. Nepal 17 21. Netherlands 04 22. Nigeria 20 23. Norway 09 24. Oman 40 25. Pakistan 30 26. Poland 10 27. Republic of Korea 123 28. Russia 08 29. Singapore 22 30. Slovakia 40 31. South Africa 13 32. Spain 04 33. Sri Lanka 52 34. Syria 30 35. Thailand 25 36. Tunisia 09 37. Turkey 07 38. UK 04 39. USA 16 40. Zanzibar 16
Total 860

ANNEXURE - `A` -Cont.
INCOMING CULTURAL DELEGATIONS APRIL, 99 TO MARCH, 2000
S.No. Country No. of Artistes
1. Austria 108

2. Bangladesh 32

3. Bulgaria 05

4. China 20

5. Egypt 27 6. France 06

7 Germany 17

8. Greece 09

9. Italy 29 10. Japan 07 11. Namibia 22 12. Maynmar 15 13. Netherland 02 14. Nepal 06 15. South Africa 06 16. Singapore 16 17. Sri Lanka 13 18. Uganda 07 19. UK 15 20. Vietnam 15
Total 377