Govt mulls to enhance pension of old artists

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday said that it is planning to enhance the pension of old artists by Rs 2,000 per month.

“The pension to the old artist is being proposed to be enhanced from Rs 4,000 per month to Rs 6,000 per month,” the Ministry of Culture said after the Budget was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament.

The total outlay for Annual Budget 2022-23 of the Ministry of Culture is Rs 3,009.05 crore as against the revised outlay (Rs 2,665 crore) approved for the revised Budget Plan 2021-2022.

This outlay includes provisions for 2 attached offices, 6 subordinate offices, 34 central autonomous bodies and schemes of the Ministry during the Financial year 2022-23.

The annual outlay in FY 2022-23 is 13 per cent higher than the revised annual outlay in FY 2021-22.

Out of the total outlay for annual budget, Rs 1,080.34 crore has been allocated to the ASI.

In FY 2022-23, an enhanced amount of Rs 532.55 crore (9 per cent) has been allocated for implementation of the Central Sector Schemes of the Ministry which includes Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana, Development of Museum, International Cooperation, Centenary and Anniversary Celebration scheme and Development of Libraries and Archives.

For development of museums at Vadnagar, a special provision of Rs 100 crore is made under the Development of Museum Scheme.

A proposal to increase the outlay in Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana to Rs 994.32 crore over a period of 5 years (2021-26) is under consideration.

To promote the Guru Shishya Parampara, the financial assistance under Repertory Grant scheme to Guru is proposed to be increased from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 15,000 per month, Shishya from Rs 6,000 per month to Rs 10,000 per month (age above 18 years), from Rs 4,500 per month to Rs 7,500 per month (age 12-18 years), from Rs 2,000 per month to Rs 3,500 per month (age 6 to 12 years) and so on.

–IANS