New Delhi: The Government is extremely sensitive to and concerned about the improvement of financial and socio-economic status of old aged artists and scholars in the country. For assistance of old aged indigent artistes and scholars, the Government administers a Scheme namely “Scheme for Pension and Medical Aid to Artistes” under which financial assistance in the form of monthly pension is provided to old artists and scholars of the age of sixty years and above who have made significant contribution in their fields, art and letters etc. and their income (including income of the spouse) must not exceed Rs.4000/- per month.
The funds under the scheme are released directly to the beneficiaries by the Ministry or through service provider i.e. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and not State/UT-wise. The details in respect of funds allocated/released/ utilized during each of the last three years and the current year are as under:-
| Financial Year | Funds allocated
(Rs. in crore) |
Amount utilized
(Rs. in crore) |
| 2015-2016 | 17.75 | 13.86 |
| 2016-2017 | 18.00 | 13.17 |
| 2017-2018 | 14.95 | 15.30^ |
| 2018-2019 | 25.00 | 14.69* |
^ expenditure incurred by utilizing unspent balance of previous year.
*As on 30th Nov. 2018.
The above information was given by Minister of State (independent charge) for Culture and Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate change Dr. Mahesh Sharma, in reply to an Unstarred Question in the Lok Sabha today.
