5 August 2025: PIB Summary For UPSC

1. Schemes for Upliftment of Scheduled Castes

Source – Press Information Bureau (PIB) – Ministry of Jal Shakti (5 August 2025)

Topic: GS Paper  2: Social Justice – Welfare schemes for SCs; Government policies and interventions

Context

The Ministry of Culture is implementing the Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana (KSVY) as an umbrella central-sector scheme to provide cultural opportunities and financial assistance to artists—especially those from Scheduled Castes—across the country. The release provides a snapshot of fund allocation and utilization over the last four financial years.

Content: 

Overview

• Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana (KSVY) is a Central Sector Scheme (no state-wise fund allocation) under Ministry of Culture, promoting art and culture, with a special component for Scheduled Castes (SC) artists.

Funds Allocation & Utilization

• 100% budget utilisation across all four years demonstrates efficient implementation.

 Scheme Components

KSVY comprises multiple subsections:

1. Guru–Shishya Parampara Support (Repertory Grant):

   • Supports 1 Guru + up to 18 Shishyas (theatre) or 10 Shishyas (music/dance).

   • Monthly assistance: ₹15,000 for Guru; ₹2,000–10,000 for Shishya (age‑based).

2. Promotion of Art & Culture Assistance:

   • National Cultural Organisations: ₹1 crore (up to ₹5 crore in exceptional cases) for institutions with pan‑India presence.

   • Cultural Function & Production Grants (CFPG): ₹5 lakh per project (up to ₹20 lakh in special cases).

   • Himalayan Heritage: ₹10 lakh/year (up to ₹30 lakh for exceptional cases).

   • Buddhist/Tibetan Organizations: ₹30 lakh/year (up to ₹1 crore).

   • Infrastructure Support: ₹25 lakh (non‑metro) / ₹50 lakh (metro) for studio theatres, likely cultural spaces.

   • Domestic Festivals & Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs) organized via ZCCs.

3. Scholarships & Fellowships:

   • Up to 200 Junior (age 25–40) & 200 Senior (above 40) Fellowships at ₹10,000/₹20,000 p.m. for 2 years.

   • 400 Scholarships for young artists (age 18–25) at ₹5,000/month for 2 years.

   • Tagore National Fellowship: 15 fellowships & 25 scholarships, ₹80,000/₹50,000 p.m. + contingency, for cultural research over 2 years.

4. Support to Veteran Artists:

   • ₹6,000/month assistance for artists ≥ 60 yrs whose annual income ≤ ₹72,000. Benefit transferable to spouse on death.

5. Seva Bhoj Yojana:

   • Reimbursement of CGST and Central IGST on raw food purchases by charitable/religious institutions serving free food (e.g., langar, prasad). Covers Gurudwaras, temples, mosques, etc.

Monitoring & Implementation

• Fund utilisation is monitored through Utilisation Certificates (as per GFR 2017), backed by Chartered Accountant certification, vouchers, evidence (photos/videos), completion certificates.

• On-site physical inspections are also conducted by Ministry officials to verify proper utilisation.

Analysis – Relevance to UPSC

• Inclusivity in cultural policy: KSVY’s SC‑special component exemplifies targeted cultural upliftment of marginalized communities, aligning with social justice objectives.

• Efficiency: The consistent full utilisation of allocated funds signals effective governance and budget execution.

• Holistic support: From grassroots (Guru‑Shishya grants) to veterans, infrastructure, large institutions, and free‑food providers—span shows policy depth.

• Monitoring mechanisms: Use of GFR‑based documentation plus on‑site checks indicates best practice in public fund accountability—an important governance theme.

Way Forward

• State-specific targeting? Though centralised, could explore contextual deployment in states with higher SC artistic talent.

• Expand outreach: Greater awareness among SC artists and communities to ensure equity in access.

• Impact evaluation: Incorporate qualitative feedback from beneficiaries, outcome tracking beyond fund flows.

• Expand scale: Consider raising fellowship/scholarship intake or grant ceilings for deserving cases.

Practice Question: “Critically examine the significance of Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana (KSVY) in promoting cultural inclusion and social justice for Scheduled Castes in India. In your answer, analyze the scheme’s structure, fund management, monitoring mechanisms, and suggest measures to enhance its effectiveness. “

Check this out 4 August 2025: PIB Summary For UPSC