Concern over official apathy towards cultural activities

Vijayawada: Artistes expressed concern over the pathetic condition of arts, literature and the lives of artistes living in the state after bifurcation of the state. Artistes alleged that the state government is not encouraging the arts, literature and artistes in the state and ignoring their demands.

Artistes associated with play lets, plays, street plays, folk songs and folklores attended a round-table conference organised by Praja Natya Mandali and other cultural associations at the Press club on Thursday and discussed their problems.  

Prajanatya Mandali, state honorary president Nalluri Venkateswarlu, Praja Natya Mandali president S Gani, general secretary P Chandra Naik and others spoke on the occasion. Nalluru Venkateswarlu said the artistes have no auditoriums in the districts to perform cultural programmes and exhibit their skills. He said there was no encouragement to the artistes in the state.

He said the traditional folk dances, folk songs, play lets, plays, street plays and traditional kolatam is vanishing from the society due to negligence of the government. He said thousands of artistes, who are eking out their livelihood on cultural programmes, are living in a deplorable condition.

Prajanatya Mandali state general secretary P Chandra Naik said the government is giving top priority to sports and games and grossly neglecting the artistes, who create awareness among the people on social evils and superstitions.  He said the artistes play a key role in creating awareness on social problems in the society.

He has demanded that the government should announce a clear policy on cultural activities. He further demanded that the government restore cultural academies to develop folk dances, folk songs, literature, arts, and music. He said only 4,890 artistes in the state are getting artistes pension from the government and demanded that the government sanction pension to all eligible poor artistes.

He said the Rs 1500 pension is meagre and appealed the government to increase to Rs 5,000. Artistes Anant Udayraj, Nayudu Gopi, Abhinaya Srinivas and others spoke on the occasion.