Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar on Wednesday announced that the state government will extend its folk art grant scheme to cover four more traditional art forms to help preserve and promote the state's cultural heritage.
These four folk arts are Naman Khele, Jakhadi, Vahi Gayan and Zhadipatti.
Making the announcement in the state assembly, the state Cultural Affairs Minister said the decision was aimed at conserving Maharashtra's rich folk traditions and providing financial support to artistes associated with these forms.
The state has been providing grants since 2008 to traditional folk arts, such as Tamasha, Dashavatar, Shahiri, Khadi Gammat and Sangeet Bari. The four newly-included art forms will now also become eligible for assistance under the scheme.
Zhadipatti, a folk theatre tradition with a history of over 130 years, is practised mainly in the eastern Vidarbha districts of Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia and Bhandara.
Vahi Gayan is popular in Dhule, Jalgaon and Nandurbar districts in north Maharashtra, while Naman Khele and Jakhadi are integral to the cultural traditions of the Konkan districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Raigad, the minister said.
Under the revised scheme, 20 troupes from each of the four newly included folk art forms will receive an annual grant of Rs 50,000 each. Accordingly, each category will receive a total annual allocation of Rs 10 lakh, he said.
Shelar said folk arts are not merely a medium of entertainment but also play an important role in social awareness, preserving cultural traditions and safeguarding the state's historical legacy.
The government has been organising folk art festivals and extending capital and performance-based assistance to artistes as part of its efforts to promote these traditions, he added
