Across the board enhancement of Academy’s remuneration for artists, writers

Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Oct 13: Consequent upon the decision of its Central Committee, headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, has sanctioned almost across the board enhancement of remuneration for artists, writers and poets.
As per the Academy Order No. 9 of 2012, dated Oct 8, 2012, sanction has been accorded to the revision of rules governing payment of remuneration/fee/TA/DA to the writers/poets/ artists etc.
The revision of remuneration rules has been under taken after five years. It was amended in the year 2009.  This latest Academy’s initiative is likely to benefit the artists, writers, poets of the all the three regions of the State.
As per the highlights of Academy’s newly sanctioned remuneration rules, the art experts, writers, musicologists etc invited to read papers or give lectures and those invited to judge the All India/State Exhibitions will now be paid Rs 2000 instead of Rs 1500 being paid earlier.
The artists participating in the camps will be paid Rs 10, 000 in place of Rs 8000 each, while sculptors will be given token remuneration of Rs 12,000 as compared Rs 10,000 paid earlier.
In the children’s on-the spot painting competitions organized by Academy, on the recommendation of judges, the cash prizes will comprise of  Infant Group: 3 equal prizes of  Rs 700 each, Junior Group Ist prize of  Rs 900, 2nd prize of Rs 700, 3rd prize of Rs 500 each.
Senior Group: Ist prize of Rs 1000, 2nd prize of Rs 900, 3rd prize of Rs 700 and three consolation prizes of Rs 500 each. For Amateur Group: Ist prize of Rs 1400, 2nd prize of Rs 1000, 3rd prize of Rs 800.
The children’s on-the-spot music competitions held in following: vocal- classical instrumental: sitar, sarangi, surnai, shahnai, flute, santoor, tabla, violin, the cash prizes will comprise of Infant Group: 3 equal prizes of Rs 500 each, Junior Group: Ist prize of Rs 700, 2nd prize of Rs 550 and three consolation prizes of Rs 300 each. Senior Group: Ist prize of Rs 1000, 2nd prize of Rs 800, and three consolation prizes of Rs 400 each. For Amateur Group: Ist prize of Rs 1400, 2nd prize of Rs 1000 and 3rd prize of Rs 800.
The experts invited to judge on-the–spot music and painting competitions, drama competitions, performances, meetings will be paid Rs 1500.
The local observers invited to attend seminars, conferences shall be entitled to an allowance of Rs 200 each on account of local conveyance and DA.
The members of the Editorial Boards and Remuneration Assessment Committee, Advisory Sub-Committee, or any other committee shall be paid Rs 300 as token remuneration.
In the field of theatre, the Academy has enhanced the awards as following: best play— Rs 10, 000, 2nd best play—Rs 8000,  best acting (male)– Rs 2000, best acting (female)– Rs 2000,  direction— Rs 2000, best costumes—Rs 1000, make-up–Rs 1000 and one consolation\ special prize of Rs 700 each, for all the above categories.
The production\ staging cost of play\drama other than Academy’s own production shall be Rs 15000. The drama experts will be paid at following rates: professionals-Rs 2000, amateur expert-Rs 1000.
The fee to playwrights for writing plays\dramas with exclusive copyright to Academy shall range from Rs 5000 to Rs 10, 000 depending upon the length of the play (minimum Rs 3000 per episode).
The artistes booked for participation in Academy’s own production of full-length plays and one–act plays shall be paid Rs 1000 for first performance and 50% percent of their original fee for repeat performances.
The fee to the professional adjudicator will range from Rs 2000 to Rs 3500. While fee to  experts for delivering lectures in theatre workshop, seminars, conferences, literary forum shall range from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000.
In the publication section, the writers will be paid Rs 500 to Rs 1100 for short stories and one-act plays. An article of exceptional nature shall be paid Rs 800 to Rs 1000 while the outstanding ones will be paid from Rs 1001 to Rs 2000. For poems and gazals the remuneration will range from Rs 400 to Rs 700. The longer poems will get Rs 900. The translation work will be paid Rs 260 to Rs 350 per 1000 words of prose and for versified translation of short poems Rs 5 to Rs 10 per line.
The writers invited for participation in the writer’s camps shall be paid Rs 3000 as a token remuneration.