THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite being in the news for all the wrong reasons, the state-owned cultural institutions got a decent budget allocation compared to some previous allotments. The Kerala Sahitya Akademi, which has been bogged down by some unsavoury incidents, got an allocation of Rs 3.20 crore. The Akademi was drawn to controversies last week after veteran lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi accused it of “disrespecting” him after the song he wrote was not selected as ‘Kerala Ganam’.
Thampi did not mince his words and came down heavily on the Akademi and its president K Satchidanandan. Poet Balachandran Chullikad had also dragged the institution to the docks after he was provided with a paltry remuneration by the Akademi for delivering a talk.
Kerala Chalachitra Academy, which was also embroiled in controversies, was allocated Rs 14 crore. Chalachitra Academy has been enduring a bitter feud between its chairman B Ranjith and other members over a slew of issues.
Allocations
Rs 3.20cr for Sahithya Akademi,
Rs 7.50cr for Sangeetha Nataka Akademi,
Rs 5.50cr for Lalitha Kala Akademi,
Rs 3.10cr for Folklore Academy.
Rs 14cr for Chalachitra Academy. (J1.30 cr for women-centric activities)
Rs 2cr for Jawahar Bala Bhavans
Rs 3.75cr for AKG Museum
Rs 7.50cr for renovating Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur zoos
Rs 5cr for setting up Archaeology/Heritage museums in all districts
Rs 5cr for the construction of Museum/ Cultural complex at Kochi
Rs 70L for Kumaranasan National Institute of Culture at Thonnakkal
Rs 19.50cr for Kerala Kalamandalam
Rs 4.60cr for giving assistance to memorials of eminent art, literate personalities
Rs 13cr for providing 1,000 fellowships to young artists graduating from state’s recognised institutions