Maharashtra govt clears financial package for folk artists hit by Covid-19 lockdown

Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic

The Maharashtra government on Thursday approved a Rs 34 crore relief package for folk music artists, producers of folk art, touring talkies and organisations associated with them to help them overcome the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant lockdown.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray cleared a proposal of financial assistance for people and groups associated with folk music and other streams after a meeting with Culture Minister Amit Deshmukh here.

A statement from the Chief Minister's Office said, 56,000 folk artists will get Rs 5,000 each as financial assistance. This will add a financial burden of Rs 28 crore on the state exchequer. Similarly, there are 847organisations which are active in various folk arts like ''tamasha'', ''shahiri'' and touring talkies (showing movies in tents), and the government will spend Rs 6 crore to provide relief to them, the statement said.

The ban on cultural events in the state in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in March 2020 and the subsequent lockdown severely affected artists and their organisations.

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