MADIKERI: The restricted release of funds to the government academies in the state has affected the functioning of the firms. The programmes and events organized by these academies have reduced drastically following the dearth of funds.
The academies including the Kodava Sahitya Academy and the Arebashe Samskruthi Sahithya Academy were established to promote the welfare of the residents of the community. The academies work with an aim to preserve, protect and promote the language, culture and rituals of the respective communities. However, the programmes designed to enable the same have been curbed due to the shortage of funds.
Earlier, the academies were being released funds between Rs 75 lakh and Rs One crore. However, the same has been now cut short to Rs 36 lakh for each academy post the pandemic situation. This decrease in fund release has restricted the academy to host small programmes including book releases and felicitations.
The presidents of the Kodava and Arebhashe academy shared that nearly 60% of the funds are required to manage the academy works including rent payment of the building and staff salaries. “The funds released to all the academies have been cut short following the pandemic situation. We hope that the academies will release more funds in the upcoming financial year,” shared Parvathi Appaiah, the president of the Kodava Sahitya Academy.
The president of Arebhashe Academy, Lakshminarayan Kajjegadde said, “The academies have to mandatorily organize certain annual programmes. However, the funds have been cut short drastically, affecting the functioning of the academies. A request has been forwarded to the state to increase the funds.”