Children visiting gram panchayat libraries and Arivu Kendras in Karnataka will receive free modern art education under an agreement between the state’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bengaluru, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre said.
The programme is intended to encourage creativity among rural children and help them develop skills to pursue achievements in the arts, according to the minister. The announcement places gram panchayat libraries at the centre of a cultural education initiative rather than limiting their role to conventional reading services.
Under the agreement, NGMA will provide selected digital artworks from its permanent collection for educational purposes. The institution will also train librarians and resource persons who will support the programme at participating rural library and Arivu Kendra facilities, Khandre said.
The arrangement is designed to bring modern art education to children who use these local centres. The announcement did not specify the number of libraries or children that will initially be covered, nor did it provide a district-wise implementation schedule or details of the classes’ frequency.
The India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) will develop the curriculum required for teaching modern art, according to Khandre. The organisation will also support capacity building and implementation of the programme. In addition, IFA will undertake independent evaluation and monitoring, creating a separate institutional role for assessing how the initiative is delivered.
The division of responsibilities gives the programme three distinct components: NGMA will contribute digital artworks, training and educational support; IFA will develop the curriculum and assist with implementation; and the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department will connect the programme to gram panchayat libraries and Arivu Kendras. The announcement did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement.
The use of digital reproductions is a significant operational feature of the plan. It allows children in rural library settings to access selected works from NGMA’s permanent collection without the programme requiring an art gallery in every participating location. The source report, however, does not specify the technology, equipment or connectivity arrangements that libraries will need to display the material.
The programme also makes librarians and resource persons part of the delivery system. Their training will determine how the curriculum and digital content are introduced to children at local centres, although the announcement did not provide details about the training format, duration or eligibility of resource persons.
Khandre said the initiative would provide free modern art education to rural children. The department secretary D. Randeep, commissioner Y.S. Patil and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme director Priyanka Mary Francis were present during the announcement. Further details on the participating libraries, rollout schedule and monitoring framework are yet to be provided.
