Kerala government grants Rs 1.55 cr for art programme held during Keraleeyam

The government had said that the programmes would be conducted through sponsors. However, the details of the sponsors and money have not yet been disclosed by the departments.

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government allocated an amount of Rs 1 crore 55 lakhs for the art programme conducted at the Central Stadium under the Keraleeyam program. Surprisingly, this hefty sum accounts for only seven performances. Despite the conclusion of Keraleeyam, two months ago, the government has yet to disclose details regarding the sponsors, raising questions about transparency and accountability in the utilization of public funds for cultural events.

The Kerala Government orchestrated the Keraleeyam program to showcase the state's developmental achievements globally. The Central Stadium hosted artistic performances over seven days, featuring notable events. Shobana dance on the opening day incurred an expense of Rs 8 lakh. The second day highlighted a special show organized by MLA and actor Mukesh and GS Pradeep, costing Rs 8,30,000. On the third day, the Show by Murugan Kattakkada and team incurred expenses of Rs 40,5000. The fourth day featured the Kavya 23 program with a cost of Rs 40,5000. The song Mela by KS Chithra on the fifth day received Rs 2,05,000, and the fusion performance by Kalamandalam artists on the same day cost Rs 3,80,000. 

The cultural department has given Rs 1,19,000 for the program organized by Stephen Devassy and Mattannoor Sankarankutty. The most recent event and the largest amount allocated was the Jayam show led by M Jayachandran. Rs 9,90,000 have been allocated for the program held on the concluding day. The government had said that the programmes would be conducted through sponsors. However, the details of the sponsors and money have not yet been disclosed by the departments. The comprehensive report of Keraleeyam has not been released even after two months.