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Bengal

Mamata announces slew of projects to revive folk culture

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a bunch of projects to revive and regenerate the folk culture of Birbhum which had been remained in neglect for a long time. 

While inaugurating the folk festival at Joydev Kenduli Fair at Ilambazar, Banerjee said an academy will be set up in the district at the cost of Rs 2.5 crore to promote Bengal’s one of the oldest music. She also said the Radha Vinod temple at Joydev Kenduli will be renovated. She has asked the district magistrate and the Principal Secretary of the Information and Cultural Affairs who were present at the programme to chalk out a detailed plan in this regard.

Meanwhile, it may be mentioned that the Chief Minister had earlier visited the temple before attending the programme. When she visited the temple she found it lying in a dilapidated condition. Banerjee had assured that the state government will soon renovate the temple. 

Banerjee said her government will sanction Rs 2.5 crore for this project. On Monday, she handed over cheques of Rs 1,000 each to folk singers in the district who were registered under Loko Prashar Prakalpa. The scheme was started by the present government to revive the ‘Baul’ folk song. The state government had taken up various others schemes to improve the condition of these folk artistes, who will also get pension. The state government has also created enough scopes so that these artistes can have a better exposure to promote their art. The state government had opened bank account for more than 42,000 artistes. 

Banerjee had also promised that she would visit the fair every year. “I was so moved after visiting the temple that I have decided to come to this fair every year. It is a historical place as it has been the birth place of one of the greatest poet Joydev. I was very delighted after visiting the place,” Banerjee said. 

She was seen playing ‘Ektara’ when the folk singers were performing very popular Baoul songs. She expressed her heart felt greetings to the ‘Boul’ singers for keeping the art alive for so long and making people happy through their art. 

CM also distributed ‘pattas’ among 171 landless families who came here as refugees from Bangladesh for living and cultivation.
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