Folk artists have not been paid for one year, their financial condition is in turmoil
Bhilai. Chhattisgarh Artist Development Association’s state president and famous artist Naval Das Manikpuri has informed the Chhattisgarh Government Culture Department about the folk artists not being paid for a year and has demanded that all the artists be paid as soon as possible. Nationally renowned Kabir Bhajan, folk song singer, lyricist, musician, Akashvani Doordarshan and film artist Naval Das Manikpuri has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai in this regard. In which he has alleged that the artists of Chhattisgarh are being cheated by the Culture Department.
He said that after getting cultural programs done by thousands of artists of Chhattisgarh, they are forced to visit the Culture Department for payment for the last one year. He said that the cultural art group registered by the Culture Department was sent with orders to present programs in various villages of the state. After the presentation of the program, all the documents along with photographs have been submitted to the department. Despite that, it is going to be more than a year today, the artists are facing a lot of problems due to not getting their remuneration amount. Naval Das Manikpuri has stated in his memorandum that to pay their fellow artists after the program, the Kala Dal operators take loans from people on interest and pay them.
The intention behind this is that the honorarium amount will be received soon from the Culture Department and the loan taken will be returned. But due to continuous delay in government payment, the operator is forced to pay interest. He has said that the honorarium amount fixed by the Culture Department to the Kala Dal is also very less, the artists have to pay more than that interest.
Welcoming the announcement of giving 24 programs in a year to each Kala Dal by Chief Minister Sai, Manikpuri said that all the artists are expected to be empowered by this, but on the other hand, due to non-payment even after a year, the standard of living of the artists has gone from bad to worse. He said that if the artists cannot be paid by the government, then it would be better if the Culture Department does not give programs to the artists and this scheme should be stopped so that the innocent folk artists here do not have to face problems. He has requested Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai to oblige all artists by directing the Culture Department to pay the honorarium amount that has been pending in the Culture Department for the past one year.
