**Bhubaneswar: ** Odisha Government on Monday enhanced the monthly pension for the artists of the State to Rs 1, 200. The State Government has also taken a significant decision to relax the age limits of both the male and female artists.
Accordingly, the age limit of the male artists has been relaxed from 60 to 50 years of age while the age limit of the female artists has been relaxed from 50 to 40 years of age.
Announcing it in chaste Odia, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “Odisha is the State of art and artists. Our artists by dint of their talents have earned laurels for Odisha. We’ve been working for the development of the artists and their arts since 2000. The State Government has launched ‘Mukhya Mantri Kalakar Sahayata Jojana (Chief Minister Artist Aid Scheme) for the welfare of the aritists.”
“While at present 4000 artists are being benefitted with the aid, 50,000 more will be enlisted and reap the benefit now. Similarly, age limit of a female artist has been relaxed from 50 years to 40 years while it has been relaxed from 60 to 50 years of a male artist,” he announced.
He further announced, “It has been decided to decentralize the allowance granting exercise for the larger interest of the artists and henceforth, the district administration has been entrusted with the duty.”