Karnataka govt seeks audit report for three years of fund usage by Kannada Sahitya Parishat

“Over the years there has been no details of usage by various entities provided grants by the department. Nobody has been providing usage certificates. Grant in aid is provided to the tune of Rs five crore every year. We have asked for the details of usage to be provided voluntarily,” the secretary for Kannada, Culture in the Karnataka government N Manjula said.

The Kannada and Culture department is involved in organising events to promote the language and culture of Karnataka and provides grants to Kannada organisations like the Sahitya Parishad to hold events.

“They are provided funds for organizing Kannada Sahitya Sammelana. Last year they were provided Rs 20 crores and later an additional Rs five crore was sought as expenses and this was rejected by the government. Now the state has sought the audit of the last three years. Release of fresh funds is subject to the details of the accounts,” sources in the ministry said.

With 2023 marking 50 years of naming the Karnataka state, the Kannada and Culture department has planned events throughout the year on Karnataka’s history, art, literature, and cultural ethos and to create awareness among youth.

The major new grants proposed this year for the Kannada and Culture ministry in the state budget are Rs. 2 crore “to promote and disseminate the literature of renowned litterateur K.P. Poornachandra Tejaswi and his thoughts on environmental conservation to the young generation through the foundation established in his name”.

“Grants of Rs. 2 crore will be provided to Janapada-Loka in Ramanagara district which is playing a vital role in preserving, enriching and familiarizing the young generation with the folklore of our state. A Janapada-Loka will be established in Koppal district of Kalyana Karnataka region on the same model,” Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said in his budget in July.

The ministry has also proposed setting up a trust in the name of the Kendriya Sahitya Academy awardee Dr M M Kalaburagi for his outstanding contribution to Kannada literature. Dr Kalaburagi was killed in 2015 by right-wing Hindutva extremists for comments he was perceived to have made about deities.
The Kannada and Culture ministry also plans to nurture and preserve the cultural and folk dance art forms of the Banjara community which are on the verge of extinction.

“To give exposure to the artistic talent of the people from tribal communities and to promote their culture, folk medicine practices, folk arts and also to encourage marketing of their handicraft products, a conference of tribal artists will be organised,” the Karnataka CM said in hi s budget speech this month.