Lucknow, 08 May (HS): While

reviewing the Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh at the Tourism Bhawan, Uttar

Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh directed the departmental officials

to start Artist Welfare Insurance Scheme for folk artists. Along with this, the

entire process from registration of artists to allocation of programs and

payment should be made transparent. While allocating programs to any artist,

100% compliance of the government order issued in this regard should be

ensured. If discrimination is found in the allocation of programs, an FIR will

be registered against the concerned officer and he will be sent to jail. He

directed to increase the monthly pension of old artists from Rs. 2000 per month

to Rs. 4000.

While doing a thorough review of

the Culture Department, Jaiveer Singh expressed deep displeasure over

non-adherence to the established procedure in many cases. He also warned

against doing so in future. He said that by publishing advertisements to find

old artists eligible for pension, pension facility should be made available to

them. Along with this, a WhatsApp group of folk artists of the state should

also be created, so that information related to them can be received. He

directed to give 50 percent of the amount in advance on allocation of a

programme and to make the full payment within a week of the completion of the

programme. He also said that programmes should be allocated equally to all

artists.

The Tourism Minister also directed

that 100% government orders should be followed in the allocation of programs

from April 01, 2025. Local artists should be given a chance instead of big and

expensive artists; this will give all the registered artists an opportunity to

perform.

To maintain transparency in the

purchase process of musical instruments and to prevent misuse of government

funds, the Tourism Minister directed to check the quality of musical

instruments purchased in the last financial year and count the musical

instruments that have not been distributed and prepare a strategy for the

musical instruments to be purchased this year. He directed to investigate the

musical instruments purchased in the financial year 2023-24 that have not been

distributed. Along with this, he directed to organize a workshop to preserve

the musical instruments that are becoming extinct.

On this occasion, Principal

Secretary Culture and Tourism Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Special Secretary Culture

Ravindra Kumar-1, Additional Director Culture Shrishti Dhawan, besides Amit

Agnihotri and a large number of RTO and other people were present.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi