The Ministry of Culture implements a Central Sector Scheme titled ‘Financial Assistance for Promotion of Art and Culture’ to provide financial assistance to cultural organizations engaged in promoting art and culture across the country. This scheme comprises eight sub-components, as summarized in Annexure – I. Under the scheme, there is no provision for State/UT-wise fund allocation, as financial assistance is released directly to approved organizations. Details of the state-wise and year-wise number of organizations supported and the funds disbursed over the last three years are provided in Annexure – II.
The broad criteria for selecting beneficiaries for the scheme are as under:
i) The organization must be registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, or as a public trust under the Indian Trust Act, 1882, and must have been functioning for at least three years.
ii) The organization must be registered on the NGO Darpan Portal of NITI Aayog.
iii) The organization must have a predominantly cultural profile.
iv) The organization must submit audit statements for the last three years.
v) The organization must have filed Income Tax returns for the last three years.
Applications or proposals complete in all respects are placed before the Expert/Steering Committee, constituted by the Ministry for each scheme component, for evaluation and recommendation on a case-to-case basis based on merit.
It is important to note that the Financial Assistance for Promotion of Art and Culture scheme does not include provisions for financial assistance for medical treatment.
Annexure – I
Financial Assistance for Promotion of Art and Culture
This scheme has the following sub-components:
i) Financial Assistance to Cultural Organizations with National Presence
- This grant supports cultural organizations with a national presence that promotes art and culture across the country.
- Eligible organizations must have a properly constituted managing body, pan-India operations, sufficient working strength, and expenditure of INR1 crore or more on cultural activities during three of the last five years.
- Quantum of grant: INR1 crore, extendable to INR5 crore in exceptional cases.
ii) Cultural Function & Production Grant (CFPG)
- This component provides financial support to NGOs, societies, trusts, and universities for organizing seminars, conferences, research, workshops, festivals, exhibitions, symposia, and productions in dance, drama, theatre, and music.
- Maximum grant: INR5 lakh, extendable to INR20 lakh in exceptional cases.
iii) Financial Assistance for the Preservation & Development of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas
- This grant aims to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of the Himalayan region through research, training, and audio-visual dissemination.
- Eligibility: Organizations in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Quantum of funding: INR10 lakh per year, extendable to INR30 lakh in exceptional cases.
iv) Financial Assistance for the Preservation & Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Culture
- Financial assistance is provided to voluntary Buddhist/Tibetan organizations, including monasteries, for the propagation and scientific development of Buddhist/Tibetan culture, traditions, and research.
- Quantum of funding: INR30 lakh per year, extendable to INR1 crore in exceptional cases.
v) Financial Assistance for Building Grants, including Studio Theatres
- This component supports NGOs, trusts, societies, universities, and government-sponsored bodies for the creation of cultural infrastructure like studio theatres, auditoriums, rehearsal halls, classrooms, and related facilities such as electrical systems, air conditioning, acoustics, and light and sound systems.
- Quantum of grant: INR50 lakh in metro cities and INR25 lakh in non-metro cities.
vi) Financial Assistance for Allied Cultural Activities
- This component provides funding for the creation of assets to enhance the audio-visual experience during allied cultural activities and festivals held in open or closed spaces.
- Quantum of funding:
- Audio: INR1 crore.
- Audio+Video: INR1.5 crore.
vii) Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Launched in 2013, this component safeguards intangible cultural heritage and diverse cultural traditions. It supports institutions, groups, and NGOs in projects that strengthen, preserve, and promote India’s intangible cultural heritage.
viii) Domestic Festivals and Fairs
- This component supports the organization of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) by the Ministry of Culture.
- Conducted through Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs), RSMs engage a large number of artists from across the country to showcase their talents.
- Since November 2015, 14 RSMs have been organized. Over the last three years, INR38.67 crore has been released under this scheme.
References: scheme of financial assistance for the promotion of art and culture
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