A 'Jeevan Gaurav' (lifetime achievement ) award named after eminent Marathi poet late Vinda Karandikar would be given away to deserving litterateur in the state from next year, Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan said here today.
Chavan made this announcement while participating in a seminar at the 83rd All India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. The
award will carry a sum of Rs1 lakh and a citation.
He also said that the state government would announce a new policy for cultural affairs on May 1, the Maharashtra foundation day.
"I would like the gathered writers to come up with suggestions to give a fresh direction to the state's cultural policy", Chavan said.
Noting that the Sammelan was being held in the golden jubilee year of Maharashtra, Chavan, in an apparent reference to demand for separate Vidarbha, said the state would remain undivided.
The chief minister who spoke at the symposium on "Freedom
of Expression" said the government would not allow any extra
constitutional censorship for movies.
