Health cards launched for artists in Punjab
By Our Staff Reporter
2018-11-12
ISLAMABAD: The new government will pay special attention to culture and the promotion of cultural activities, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said on Sunday at the concluding ceremony of the Lok Mela at Lok Virsa.
The minister said the Punjab government has introduced an artist`s health card with which artists will be able to get free medical treatment worth Rs400,000 every year.
He told Lok Virsa Executive Director Shahira Shahid that giving artists Rs5,000 is not enough as they would have had to spend more than that to come to Islamabad.
Federal Secretary Information Shafgat Jalil said he was happy to see artists from across the country had come to participate.
`Lok Mela is very important because prominent artists participate in it and people get to learn from them. I hope this tradition continues,` he said.
Mr Jalil said public departments strengthen democracy and that these institutions should be empowered.
Cash awards worth Rs10,000 were given to artists Saran Bibi, Hawwa Bibi, Mohammad Faheem, Ghulam Mohammad Saeed, Deedar Ali and others.
Cash awards of Rs5,000 weregiven to artists Naeemud Din, Mai Hazari, Lal Bux, Sultana Iqbal, Abida Khan and others.
A large number of people participated in the Lol Mela over the weekend.
One of the most interestingstalls was established by the Department of Sericulture, Azad Jammu and Kashmir which gave information about the rearing of silkworm. A large number of children had gathered around an official, Arshad Jafri, who wastelling them about the life of a silkworm and how thread is collected from it.
Other stall holders were telling their audiences about their trades such as the preparation of cloth f rom the hair of the AngoraRabbit.
A visitor, Mohammad Rizwan said his children received information about skills from across the country.
However, he said, the items on display were costly.