Question : PROMOTION OF PAINTING

(a) the scheme being implemented to promote painting as an Art in the country; and

(b) the assistance being provided to States to promote the Art of painting, State-wise, including Bihar especially for Madhubani painting?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI V. NARAYANASAMY)

(a) & (b) Ministry of Culture is implementing the following schemes to promote varied arts of the country, including painting:

(i) Scheme of Scholarship to Young Artists in different Cultural fields.

(ii) Scheme for award of Fellowships to Outstanding persons in the field of Culture.

(iii) Scheme of Financial Assistance for Seminars, Festivals and Exhibitions on cultural subjects by Not-for-Profit Organizations (Cultural Functions Grant Scheme).

(iv) Financial Assistance for Preservation and Development of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas

(v) Financial Assistance for Promotion and Strengthening of Regional and Local Museums.

While no financial assistance is provided to State Governments, various organizations under the Ministry of Culture, including the Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA), Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs), Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) extend support to State Academies/art organizations or artists to promote the art of painting. The Lalit Kala Akademi also has an art development scheme to promote painting as an art medium.

As regards Madhubani paintings, following programmes have been taken up by them-

(i) LKA has published a book on Madhubani paintings, titled ‘Mithila Ki Lok Chitrakala’ by Awadesh Aman.

(ii) Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), Kolkata, has showcased Madhubani paintings at various fairs/festivals across the country.

(iii) North Central Zonal Cultural Centre (NCZCC), Allahabad has organized folk artists’ camps at Panchkula, Mathura, Bhopal and Madhubani. It has also organized production oriented summer workshops for children in which Madhubani painting is also covered. NCZCC also covers Madhubani painting under its Guru Shishya Parampara scheme.

(iv) CCRT operates a scheme of Cultural Talent Search Scholarship under which a scholarship has also been awarded in the field of Visual Art – Painting (Mithila).

(v) IGRMS has a ‘Do and Learn’ museum education programme, under which it has organised a programme on Madhubani painting of Bihar and invited traditional artistes to train people in this art form.