Number of steps taken to preserve dying art and culture: Rawat

Expressing his commitment to preserve the dying arts and culture of the state, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said a number of steps are being taken by his government in the direction including setting up a training institute to conserve the gradually disappearing art forms and musical instruments unique to the hill state.
Announcing this at a programme here last night, Rawat said no stone will be left unturned to conserve the dying art forms and musical instruments which are played only in the hills of Uttarakhand but are on the verge of disappearance.
A corpus fund of Rs 5 crore has been set up for the welfare of folk singers and folk artists and a decision taken to provide Rs 2 lakh each to two musical groups from each block every year to promote folk artists and singers, an official release quoted Rawat as saying.

Four museums will be set up in the state to conserve traditional folk instruments and manuscripts and literary work done in local languages and dialects will be rewarded, the chief minister said.
'Hariram Training Centre' for conservation of disappearing musical instruments of the state is being set up in Almora, he said, adding, artists above 60 years of age will be given pension.