Sfava

A pension scheme by MoC improves the financial and socio-economic status of the old artists and scholars who have contributed significantly in their specialized fields. Still, due to old age, they have to lead a miserable life or are in penury condition.

The “Scheme for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists”, earlier known as “Scheme for Pension and Medical Aid to Artists” was launched by the Ministry of Culture. The Scheme is meant for improving the financial and socio-economic status of the old artists and scholars who have contributed significantly in their specialized fields of arts, letters, etc. in their active age or are still contributing in the field of arts, letters, etc. but due to old age, they have to lead a miserable life or are in penury condition.

Under the scheme, financial assistance from the Government may be given in the form of a monthly allowance. Such allowance given to the artists recommended under the center-state Quota will be shared by the Centre and State Government/UT Administration concerned.

The following two types of cases/requests will be covered under the Scheme:

• Existing beneficiaries getting monthly artistes pension under the 1961 Scheme of ‘Financial Assistance to Persons Distinguished in Letters, Arts and such other walks of life who may be in indigent circumstances’ as amended from time to time; and
• Fresh cases of artists, writers, etc. who are eligible for a grant/monthly financial assistance under the extant guidelines of the Scheme.

Administration of the Scheme:

The Scheme will be implemented by the Ministry with the support of all Zonal Cultural Centres and SCZCC, Nagpur will be the main coordinator. The Ministry reserves the right to modify the provisions of the Scheme at any time. In order to implement the Scheme in a better perspective, the Scheme Guidelines will be circulated widely through State Governments/UT Administrations along with sharing the data of beneficiaries of the Central Government with them.

• To be eligible for assistance under the Scheme, a person's contribution to art and letters, etc. must be of significance.
• Traditional scholars who have made significant contributions in their fields would also be eligible notwithstanding the absence of any published works.
• The personal income of the applicant (including the income of the spouse) must not exceed ₹4,000/- per month or an annual income of ₹48,000/-. [This excludes artiste pension assistance amount already getting by a beneficiary from the Government (i.e. concerned State Govt./UT Administration and/or Ministry of Culture)]
• The applicant should not be less than 60 (sixty) years of age (This does not apply in the case of a spouse).
• The applicant artiste is getting a pension of at least ₹500/- per month from the concerned State Government/UT Administration or is recommended by the Zonal Cultural Centres, Ministry of Culture, for the artists of their Members State where State Pension is not there.
• The applicant artists should not be getting financial assistance under other Schemes of the Ministry viz. Repertory Grant etc.

• Under the scheme, a total allowance of ₹6000/- per month will be given to an eligible beneficiary.
• In case of the death of a beneficiary getting an artist pension, the financial assistance may be transferred, at the discretion of the Central Government, in the name of the spouse of the beneficiary till life.

Note 01: The monthly allowance contributed by the State Government/UT Administration concerned shall be at least ₹500/- per month per beneficiary.

Note 02: The monthly allowance contributed by the Central Government shall not exceed ₹5500/- per month per beneficiary.

Note 03: Out of ₹6000/-, the monthly contribution of allowance of the Central Government will be less than the extent of the monthly contribution of allowance being provided to the applicant by the State Government/UT Administration.

Note 04: If State Government is already providing ₹1000/- per month pension to an artiste recommended to get financial assistance from the Central Government under this Scheme, in that case, the contribution of the Central Government would be only ₹5000/- per month.

Note 05: In respect of State Govt./UT Administration where there is no provision for an Artist's Pension, ₹6000/- per month will be paid as an Artist Pension by the Central Government.

Note 06: In case of the death of a beneficiary, a request application should be received in the Ministry of Culture from the spouse along with the relevant documents within the period of one year from the date of death of the beneficiary artist. After the period of one year, the claim for the transfer of pension in the name of the spouse will stand forfeited and no request in this regard shall be entertained.