Tamil Nadu pays aged artistes in poor circumstances Rs 3,000 a month for life through the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram, and the payment continues to the legal spouse after the artiste dies, according to the Art and Culture Department’s May 2024 RTI disclosure. Separately, the Union Ministry of Culture pays up to Rs 6,000 a month to artistes aged 60 and above whose family income is no more than Rs 72,000 a year.
The two schemes can work together, and many older musicians, dancers, drama artistes and folk performers in Chennai qualify for one or both without knowing it. Here is how each works and where to apply.
The state scheme: Rs 3,000 a month
The department’s scheme page describes it simply: indigent artistes who have served art and culture receive Rs 3,000 a month. The RTI disclosure adds that it is paid for life and passes to the spouse.
The amount has grown over the past decade. The 2017-18 policy note records that the pension was raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 from 1 April 2013, and that 13,563 artistes had been covered by then. The same note says the annual income limit was raised in 2012 from Rs 12,000 to Rs 60,000. The 2021-22 note gives the current Rs 3,000.
New beneficiaries are added in batches rather than continuously. The 2021-22 note says 1,000 artistes were selected that year, and the 2024-25 note records sanction orders for another 1,000 on 29 September 2023.
How to apply in Chennai
- Watch for the Manram’s call for applications, which comes with each new batch.
- Keep proof of your artistic work ready: concert notices, press clippings, certificates, sabha or troupe letters.
- Get an income certificate from the taluk office and keep your Aadhaar and bank details handy.
- Ask at the Directorate of Art and Culture, Tamil Development Campus, second floor, Tamil Salai, Egmore, Chennai 600 008 (044 2819 3194 or 2819 3195), for the current form and criteria, as the income limit we found in an official document dates from 2012.
Other state help for elderly artistes and families
- Porkizhi for Kalaimamani awardees: a one-time Rs 1 lakh for awardees who have fallen on hard times, per the RTI disclosure.
- Family maintenance grant: a one-time Rs 25,000, raised from Rs 10,000, to the families of well-known artistes in music, drama, dance, film and folk arts who have died. The scheme page says 496 families have received it.
The central scheme: up to Rs 6,000 a month
The Ministry’s Scheme for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists, revised in August 2023, sets these conditions:
- Age 60 or above (the age rule does not apply to a spouse taking over the allowance).
- Personal income, including the spouse’s, no more than Rs 6,000 a month or Rs 72,000 a year, not counting an existing artiste pension.
- A significant contribution to the arts; traditional scholars need not have published work.
- Either a state artiste pension of at least Rs 500 a month, or credentials verified by a Zonal Cultural Centre.
- No other Ministry assistance, such as a repertory grant.
For someone already on the Tamil Nadu pension, the state pays its share and the Centre tops up to a combined maximum of Rs 6,000. Artistes with no state pension can get the full Rs 6,000 from the Centre.
Routes and timetable
State pensioners apply through the Art and Culture Department, which forwards the papers to the South Central Zone Cultural Centre in Nagpur, the scheme’s nodal office. Others apply through their Zonal Cultural Centre. Applications are taken from August to November, and an expert committee meets in February of the following year. Beneficiaries must file a digital life certificate through Jeevan Pramaan every November and a fresh income certificate every five years. A spouse must claim the allowance within a year of the artiste’s death.
Documents include a recent photograph, address and age proof (a doctor’s estimate of age is not accepted), Aadhaar, an income certificate in the set format, evidence of artistic work, a bank authorisation signed by the branch manager and a recommendation letter. Papers must be in English or Hindi, or carry a typed English translation.
| Scheme | Amount | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu indigent artistes (Eyal Isai Nataka Manram) | Rs 3,000 a month, for life | Aged artiste in indigent circumstances |
| Ministry of Culture veteran artists | Up to Rs 6,000 a month | 60 or above, income up to Rs 72,000 a year |
Pension and welfare rules change. Confirm eligibility with the Directorate or the Ministry before relying on any figure here.
Quick answers
How much is the Tamil Nadu pension for old artistes?
Rs 3,000 a month, paid for life and continued to the legal spouse.
Can I get both state and central pensions?
Yes. A state pensioner receiving at least Rs 500 a month can apply for the central scheme, which tops up to a combined Rs 6,000.
When does the central scheme accept applications?
Between August and November each year, with selection the following February.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Schemes of Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram (Department of Art and Culture)
- RTI Section 4(1)(b) disclosure, 24.05.2024 (Department of Art and Culture, Tamil Nadu)
- Art and Culture Policy Note 2024-25 (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Art and Culture Policy Note 2021-22 (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Art and Culture Policy Note 2017-18 (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Scheme for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists (Ministry of Culture)
