One of the important activities of the Backward Classes Welfare Department is to preserve, promote and develop cultural heritage of the SC, ST and OBC people. With this aim in view the Department takes up a number of cultural activities throughout the year. There are a lot of cultural traits were so far left out of the purview of the Department. To make good such deficiency, the West Bengal Rules of Business has been amended vide Notification No. 439-Home (Cons.) dated the 16th day of December, 2011, to include new cultural activities viz. Jhumur, Gambhira, Baul, Bhatiyali, Kabi-gaan, Puppetry, Chhau, Sarigan and Bachhari Baich (traditional boat race), Woodcrafts, Kantha Silpa, Observance of the movement of 1873 for dignity and equality before law.
For promotion of rich cultural heritage of the people belonging to different Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Department organizes different cultural programmes and fairs. Some of the important programmes funded and organized by the Department are :
◊Jhumur
◊Gambhira
◊Baul
◊Bhatiyali
◊Kabigaan
◊Puppetry
◊Sarigan
◊Bachhari Baich (traditional boat race)
◊Woodcraft
◊Kantha Silpa
◊The movement of 1873 for dignity and equality before law
◊Bhaoyaiya Sangeet Pratiyogita
◊Observance of birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar
◊Sri Sri Thakur Harichand Guruchand Award
◊Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medha Puroskar
Besides these yearly programmes, the Department has set up the following Organizations for promotion of folk and tribal culture including literature:
»Uttar Banga Lok Sanskriti Parishad
»Panchanan Barma Sangrahasala O Gabeshana Kendra
Also for the development and maintenance of cultural cum educational schemes a new society namely “Banga Lok-Shilpa-O-Sanskriti Kendra” is under consideration of the Department.
