Sports, Arts & Culture Schemes

Support to Artisans in Indigent Circumstances is a Direct Benefit to Artisans component of the National Handicrafts Development Programme, run by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles. It pays aged award-winning craftspersons above 60 years financial assistance of up to Rs 5,000 per month, subject to an annual income of not more than Rs 1,00,000.

The Award of Scholarships to Young Artists gives Rs 5,000 per month for two years to promising artists aged 18 to 25 for advanced training in classical music, dance, theatre, visual and folk arts. The Ministry of Culture awards about 400 scholarships a year, applied for online through the CCRT and decided by an expert committee.

Bima Yojana - Direct Benefit to Artisan is a Ministry of Textiles component under the National Handicraft Development Programme that enrols registered handicraft artisans into PMJJBY and PMSBY. It provides Rs 2 lakh life cover and Rs 2 lakh accidental death or disability cover. Artisans aged 18-50 with a bank account enrol through handicraft offices or the Jan Suraksha portal.

The Cultural Function and Production Grant Scheme is a Ministry of Culture scheme that gives grants to registered cultural organisations to hold seminars, festivals, workshops and to produce dance, drama and music. Assistance is commonly capped around Rs 5 lakh per event, with higher amounts for events of national importance, and is applied for online through the Ministry's portal.

Financial Assistance For Allied Cultural Activities is a Ministry of Culture scheme that gives grants to organisations for cultural events such as seminars, festivals, exhibitions and anniversary celebrations of eminent personalities. Bodies registered as a society, trust or Section 8 company apply with a proposal and budget; individuals cannot apply, and each case is decided by the Ministry on merit.

Financial Assistance for Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Arts and Culture is a Ministry of Culture grant scheme that gives voluntary Buddhist/Tibetan organisations and monasteries up to Rs 30 lakh per year (higher in exceptional cases) for propagating and scientifically developing Buddhist and Tibetan culture. Registered societies with at least 3 years of work apply through their State Government.

The Repertory Grant scheme (Financial Assistance for Promotion of Guru-Shishya Parampara) is a Ministry of Culture scheme that pays a monthly honorarium, Rs 15,000 for the guru/director and up to Rs 10,000 per adult artiste: to cultural organisations training disciples in performing arts. Organisations apply online through the National School of Drama portal.

Financial Assistance To Cultural Organizations With National Presence is a Ministry of Culture scheme that gives grants to well-established cultural bodies operating at an all-India level. Organisations registered for at least 5 years apply with a proposal, audited accounts and activity record; grants are decided by an expert committee. Individuals cannot apply for a personal benefit under this scheme.

This Ministry of Culture scheme gives building grants to registered cultural organisations to build or renovate auditoriums, studio theatres, rehearsal halls and other cultural infrastructure for the performing arts. It is a capital grant to institutions, not individuals, applied for online, with ceilings that vary by city category and project type set in the scheme guidelines.

The Research & Development Scheme under the National Handicrafts Development Programme gives 100% grants-in-aid to institutions, NGOs, government agencies and educational bodies to run surveys, studies, seminars and workshops on crafts and artisans. Individual artisans cannot apply. It is administered by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts).

The Scheme for Award of Senior/Junior Fellowships to Outstanding Persons in the Fields of Culture is a Ministry of Culture scheme giving artists and scholars a fellowship to pursue a cultural project. Senior fellows above 40 get Rs 20,000 a month and junior fellows aged 25-40 get Rs 10,000 a month for up to two years. Applications are made online.

Scheme for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists is a Ministry of Culture pension programme that pays up to Rs 6,000 per month to artists aged 60 and above who have made a significant contribution to art and letters and whose personal income does not exceed Rs 72,000 a year. Eligible artists apply through the Ministry of Culture.

The Scheme of Financial Assistance for Preservation and Development of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas is a Ministry of Culture grant of up to Rs 10 lakh per project to registered voluntary organisations, colleges and universities in six Himalayan states and UTs. It funds research, documentation and folk-art training. Organisations apply offline through the State Government.

This Ministry of Tourism scheme gives grant-in-aid to hospitality and tourism training institutions: Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs), Food Craft Institutes (FCIs), IITTM, NCHMCT and related PSUs: to build and equip campuses and expand training capacity. It is an institutional grant, not an individual benefit: students cannot apply to it directly and instead enrol in the courses these institutes run.

Seva Bhoj Yojna is a Ministry of Culture scheme that reimburses the CGST and the Central Government's share of IGST paid by charitable and religious institutions on raw food items used to serve free food. Institutions serving at least 5,000 people a month, in existence for three years, register on the Darpan and CSMS portals to claim the reimbursement.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is India's highest adventure-sports honour, given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in four categories; land, water, air and lifetime achievement. Winners receive a bronze statuette of Tenzing Norgay and a cash prize (Rs 15 lakh as reported for 2020). It is conferred on nomination, not on individual application.