Bhubaneswar: The state government has initiated steps to promote folk art forms among the urban masses.

To enhance the visibility and social communication plans of the folk art bodies, the state government is collaborating with the artistes on a number of projects.

They are being regularly invited to take part in a number of government events and host workshops at the Kala Bhoomi, the first handloom and handicrafts museum of the state.

State culture secretary Manoranjan Panigrahi said the government was conducting various district-level training programmes for budding folk artistes.

The department has formed the Nagar Kala Sanskruti Sangha on the lines of the Zilla Kala Sanskruti Sangha and Block Kala Sanskruti Sangha to preserve the dying art forms of the state.

"We are monitoring the progress of the scheme through video conferences every month. We are also conducting district-level training programmes for upcoming artistes," Panigrahi said .

At present, there are around 7,500 folk art groups in the state that engages around 84, 000 artistes.

However, artistes feel that rare folk art forms such as rasarkeli and laudi khela have not being recognised at the national level.

"Odissi or folk dances such as pala and chhau are popular but people hardly know about other folk dance forms. Until our skills get better exposure, we will never get recognition or employability options," said rasarkeli dancer Bipin Das.

There will be mapping and documentation of art forms, its origin, region, location and gradation of groups.

The revolving fund of Zilla Kala Sanskruti Sangha, Block Kala Sanskruti Sangha, Nagar Kala Sanskruti Sangha and corpus fund of Rural Kala Sanskruti Sangha will be increased.