Folk artistes keep art alive: Karjol

CHITRADURGA: Minister of Kannada and Culture Govinda M Karjol on Saturday gave assurance of providing Rs 25 lakh additional grant to the existing welfare fund for the betterment of folk artists in the state. Speaking after giving away the Karnataka Janapada Academy annual awards - 2011 at a glittering ceremony at Ta Raa Su Rangamandir, he made the announcement and assured that the government will liberally provide money for artists in the future. The minister also made a plethora of promises at the function. Among them were, enhancing the honorarium of president of all academies from present Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000, travel allowance to presidents of all academies to Rs 10,000, annual awards prize money from present Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, prize money for the folklore experts from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. He also said that all announcements will get implemented from the next fiscal year. Describing folk artistes as keepers of art, Karjol said, “About 99 per cent of  folk artists come from a poor background. Hence, there is an urgent need to protect their interest and the government is committed on this grounds.”