Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Odisha government upped the pay of traditional folk artists on Saturday in a landmark move. The additional compensation would be given to folk performers who perform at awareness events sponsored by the department of Information and Public Relations, according to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who made the announcement.
The chief minister has given the go-ahead for the relevant authorities to raise the compensation of artists in order to promote diverse folk arts such as Daskathia, Pala, Ghoda Nacha, and other types of folk dance and music. According to the ruling, each folk performer would get increased compensation for three performances lasting three hours each day. The team leader will receive Rs 1,000, while the other members will each receive Rs 800. The performers would also receive Rs 300 apiece every day for transportation and meals.
A two-person team for the Daskathia performance will now be compensated with Rs 2,400, an increase of Rs 2,000 from the prior rate of Rs 200 per person. Similar compensation would be paid to a group of six Pala artists for each program: Rs 6,800. Each artist used to receive Rs 350.
A team of eight performers for Ghoda Nacha will now receive Rs 9,000 as opposed to the previous compensation of Rs 350 for each artist. A team of eight artists would now receive Rs 9,000 under the state government’s amended compensation schedule for folk dance and folk music. Each artist used to receive Rs 400.
Since 2009, the government has taken a number of innovative actions to help folk musicians by organizing them through their associations at the block, district, and state levels. The I&PR department, the Odia Language, Literature and Culture department, and other state departments organize and promote folk art programs to publicize their operations.
