Minister of State for Kannada and Culture Umashree has said the government in general and her department in particular were committed to keep the middlemen away and ensure benefits reach genuine artistes and other beneficiaries.
She was addressing after distributing annual awards of the Karnataka Janapada Academy at a function at T. Chennaiah Rangamandira here on Tuesday night.
All processes in the department were being digitised, levaing no scope for manipulating or hoodwinking the aristes, she said. Considering the contribution of folk artistes to society and their poor financial condition, the government has enhanced the award amount. The monetary benefits to the artistes under various schemes would be remitted directly to the bank accounts of respective artistes, eliminating chances of misuse of funds, she said and added that the department was also according priority to train youths in the dwindling traditional folk art forms.
Folk experts Kotiganahalli Ramaiah, Indira Hegde and artistes from various districts were given away awards at the function.
Academy president Picchalli Srinivas and Deputy Commissioner K.V. Thrilokchandra spoke, while MLA Varthur Prakash, Additional Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari were present.
