Patna

The Bihar government has initiated a process of selecting artistes to provide them a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 as part of a state government scheme, an official said on Wednesday.

The Art and Culture Department has so far listed 85 artistes, who will get the benefit of the ‘Mukhyamantri Kalakar Pension Yojana’, he said.

“We have so far selected 85 artistes for the monthly pension. The selection process is still on. The objective of this scheme is to provide financial security to senior and economically weaker artistes of the state," Art and Culture Department Secretary Pranav Kumar said.

The government will provide the pension to artistes with more than ten years of experience in traditional art, he said.

They must be residents of Bihar and the annual income of each artiste should not exceed Rs 1.2 lakh, he said.

The department has also launched a programme to preserve and promote Bihar’s rare and extinct art forms, Kumar said.

“Under the Mukhyamantri Guru-Shishya Parampara Yojana scheme, several centres will be opened at major cities in the state, where experienced teachers (Guru) will be appointed along with accompanists, and students will also be chosen for this scheme. During the training, experienced teachers will get a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 from the government, and the students will also get a monthly scholarship of Rs 3,000," the secretary said.

On the Bihar government’s film promotion policy, Kumar maintained that there is significant potential and numerous opportunities for filmmaking in the state.

“We are inviting the filmmakers to come and explore the state. Under the policy, filmmakers will receive assistance to make movies, showcasing Bihar's rich cultural heritage. Bihar's scenic locations and adequate infrastructure have always been attractive to film directors," he said

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The policy includes financial grants for producing films, documentaries, and serials in regional languages and others, he said.

The policy also offers various financial incentives for movies in regional languages, he said, adding that the department has so far given approvals for the shooting of 35 films and documentaries.