Parliament Question: Preservation of Cultural Heritage of Uttarakhand

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †85 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025 PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE OF UTTARAKHAND †85. SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has formulated any scheme for preservation of the cultural heritage of the Uttarakhand State;

(b) the efforts being made to promote cultural festivals and folk art;

(c) whether any financial assistance is being provided to the local artists; and

(d) the extent to which these initiatives have helped in conservation of cultural heritage? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) There are 43 centrally protected monuments/sites under the care and maintenance of & Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the state of Uttarakhand. Conservation of these

(b) monuments/sites is taken up as per the need and availability of resources subject to the National Policy for Conservation, and these monuments/sites are in a good state of preservation.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi is committed to the preservation and promotion of folk, traditional and tribal performing arts through its schemes. The Akademi has organized

the following festivals in Uttarakhand in the recent past:  Kala Dharohar - a series of Workshops dedicated to Meera Bai at Suyalbari, Nainital, 23-24 August 2024  Kala Dharohar - a series of Workshops dedicated to Meera Bai at Dehradun 14- 15 November 2024  Kala Dharohar - a series of Workshops dedicated to Meera Bai at Tapowan, Tehri Garhwal, 14-15 November 2024  Kala Dharohar, a series of Workshops dedicated to Meera Bai at Chamoli, 11-12 December 2024  Kala Pravah- The Akademi organized two-day festivals of music and dance on 06 July 2024 at the Kasar Devi Temple at Almora  Kala Pravaah, Mandir Utsav Series, in June 2023 at Kasar Devi Mandir at Almora.

Cont….2..-2- To protect, promote and preserve various forms of folk art and culture throughout the country, the Government of India has also set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programmes on regular basis in their member States. As Uttarakhand is a member State of both North Zone Cultural Centre

(NCZC), Patiala and North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC), Prayagraj, cultural festivals and art promotion in Uttarakhand are organized by these ZCCs.

Besides, Ministry of Culture also organizes Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) at national level through these ZCCs where a large number of folk & tribal artists including local artists from all over India are engaged to showcase their talents to spread awareness about our rich cultural heritage.

Further, Sangeet Natak Akademi has started the following four training programmes of performing art forms of Uttarakhand under the scheme “Kala Deeksha” (Guru Shishya Parampara) - Folk Songs of Garhwal region (Padavani & Manglik Geet) under Guru Ganga Devi Rana, Chamoli.

- Mashak Been under Guru Harish Lal, Chamoli - Hudka under Guru Loveraj Ram, Munsiyari. - Folk Songs of Kumaon region (Neoli, Chhapeli, Bhagnaul and Sanskar Geet) Pushpa Fartyal, Almora.

(c) Sangeet Natak Akademi’s scheme of Financial Assistance to Cultural Institution is one of the several schemes formulated by the Akademi to further its objectives. Year - wise

beneficiary Cultural institutions of Uttarakhand are as under:

Year No. of organisations Total amount 2021-22 05 2.0 lakh 2022-23 08 3.30 lakh 2023-24 05 2.20 lakh

(d) Through its various programs, Ministry of Culture is seeing a positive impact to preserve and promote Cultural heritage. -----