Question : Cultural Centres and Cultural Development Programmes

(a) whether the Government has established/proposes to establish cultural centres in various States including Jharkhand for creating awareness among people about cultural heritage of our country;

(b) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote cultural development programmes in various parts of the country including Jharkhand;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the schemes formulated/being implemented in this regard; and

(d) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to promote culture of our country?

MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) FOR CULTURE AND TOURISM
(SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a) to (c) To protect, preserve & promote various forms of folk art and for creating awareness among people about cultural heritage of our country, the Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. To promote cultural development programmes, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) at Kolkata is undertaking various cultural activities and events in its member States including Jharkhand. The EZCC has organized Rabindra Jayanti, International Day of Yoga, Jagannathpur Mahotsav, Swachhata Pakhwada, 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Workshops on Kathak & Seraikela Chhau Dance, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and Jharkhand Rajya Sthapana Divas during 2018-19.

These ZCCs are implementing a number of schemes viz. Award to Young Talented Artistes, Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme, Theatre Rejuvenation Scheme, Research & Documentation Scheme, Shilpgram Scheme, Octave and J&K Festivals and National Cultural Exchange Programme (NCEP) for promotion of cultural development programmes in the country.

(d) To promote the culture of our country, the Government of India has organized Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) at New Delhi (November, 2015 and October, 2016), at Varanasi (December, 2016), at Bengaluru & Tawang (March, 2017), at Gujarat (October, 2017), at Karnataka (January, 2018) and at Madhya Pradesh (February, 2018). Other major festivals viz. Sanskriti Mahotsav at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (February, 2018), Kabir Festival ''Anhaad Naad'' at Maghar, Uttar Pradesh (June, 2018) and Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (January to March, 2019) were also organized.

In addition to these Mahotsavs & Festivals, all the ZCCs also organize various cultural activities and programmes on regular basis throughout the country for promotion of culture for which annual grant-in-aid is given to them by the Government of India.