The Department of Art and Culture organized the first pension distribution ceremony under the Chief Minister Artist Pension Scheme and the felicitation of youth who excelled at the 29th National Youth Festival at the Bihar Museum on Tuesday. Minister of Art and Culture, Shri Arun Shankar Prasad, was the chief guest at the event.

On this occasion, 18 senior artists from Patna district were physically distributed their pension amounts through replica checks, while selected artists from all districts of the state received their pensions through DBT.

Under the Chief Minister Artist Pension Scheme, artists over 50 years of age and with a minimum of 10 years of experience in the field of art are being provided a pension of ₹3,000 per month. This initiative is the first dedicated social security scheme for artists in the state.

Addressing the event, Minister Shri Arun Shankar Prasad stated that this scheme will not only provide financial security to artists but will also help them promote their art and pass it on to the next generation. He called on artists to keep their artistic traditions alive and said that to maintain the continuity of art, the art that is limited to themselves should be shared with future generations so that it remains alive.

At the event, Mr. Anjani Kumar Singh, Director General of the Bihar Museum, described this initiative as a historic step towards the respect and preservation of artists. He said that the government's recognition of the artists' dedication and contributions is commendable.

Department Secretary Mr. Pranav Kumar said that before today, these artists were not covered by any pension scheme. Consequently, the government decided to provide financial support to senior artists who keep the art form alive. He said that artists who have crossed the age of 50 and have worked for at least 10 years are being provided a pension of Rs. 3,000 per month. He also urged artists to inform those who are unaware of this scheme and encourage as many applications as possible.

This amount was given to the selected artists in the first phase. Officials and artists from various districts, including Patna, Saran, Jehanabad, Banka, Kishanganj, Khagaria, Araria, Bhojpur, and Purnia, joined the program via video conferencing.

On this occasion, young people who brought laurels to Bihar at the 29th National Youth Festival, including Parth Kaushik from Rohtas, Aayushi Arya and Mahima Maurya from Patna, and Deepak Kumar, were also honored. These young people showcased the state's talent by excelling at the national level in disciplines such as painting, innovation, folk cultural singing, and speech.

On this occasion, the Honorable Minister also released the department's diary.

Ms. Ruby (IAS), Director, Directorate of Cultural Affairs, performed the role of host and announcer.

Present at the event were Mr. Krishna Kumar, Director, Directorate of Museums, Department of Art and Culture, Mrs. Ruby, Director, Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Joint Secretary, Mr. Mahmood Alam, Internal Financial Advisor, Mr. Rana Sujit Kumar Tuntun, and other department officials.