The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Salaries of artists doubled, says C.Ve. Shanmugam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 16, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Salaries of artists doubled, says C.Ve. Shanmugam

Special Correspondent

Steps are on to identify indigent folk traditions in the State and showcase them

FESTIVAL FETE: Students of Government Music College, Chennai, performing at the Pongal Kalaivizha organised by the Department of Arts and Culture in Chennai on Sunday. — Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: The State Government has decided to hike the annual salary given to indigent artists from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000 and will also extend financial assistance to 1,000 such artists, State Education Minister C.Ve.Shanmugam has said.

Pongal Kalaivizha

Under the scheme for issuing identity cards to artists from various fields, the Government had so far issued 18,188 cards, he said while inaugurating the Pongal Kalaivizha organised by the Department of Arts and Culture here on Sunday.

Under the awards scheme for rural artisans, 375 folk artists had been honoured, he added.

The department was taking steps to identify indigent folk traditions in various parts of the State and showcase them, he said.

Varied fare

The Kalaivizha featured performances by various troupes specialising in folk arts such as `karagattam', `poikkal kudhirai', `oyilattam', `thappattam' and `kavadi', along with students from the Government Music College.

R Kasinathan, Commissioner, Department of Arts and Culture, P.A. Ramaiah, Secretary, Department of Tamil Development, Culture and Religious Endowments and violin maestro Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan were present. .

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