Single-window clearance for film shoots announced

Now, filmmakers -- Indian or international -- won't have to run pillar to post to get permissions sorted for shooting in the country as a single-window clearance system has been put in place by the government.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore on Saturday here officially announced that the government has entrusted National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to take responsibility of operating the Film Facilitation Office.

Rathore also unveiled the Film Facilitation Office logo, which comprises a camera with an image of tiger.

The film office will facilitate shooting permissions, removing obstacles of bureaucracy, red tape and middle-men. It aims to put India on global map as a film shooting destination.

"There are positive signs that films are being shot in India but they need to be shot in India in an easier manner. It was in our thought process for a while and we were planing to take concrete steps to make it a reality. Now we have given the responsibility to NFDC," Rathore told a group of mediapersons here.

Rathore emphaised that the aim is to face red tapism and tackle it, adding that the ministry will try to "sensitize" all the departments about the new move for more efficiency.

"We will sensitise all the department about single window clearance wherein the central government ministries, over a period of time, will start expediting the filming process. It will not happen immediately, but the intention is there.

"We will evolve, adapt, change policies and create fresh ones... That will not stop us from evolving over time and getting single window clearance," he said.

He said NFDC, which encourages high quality Indian cinema, was chosen to operate the office as it has "better sync with the industry".

"The secondary step of NFDC is to encourage the states to do it (the single window clearance) as well because a lot of permission come from the states. All the process will happen over a period of time and things will improve. NFDC will do it in a very professional manner," he said.

The one-stop destination for film shoot approval is vital for film tourism in India as there are times when many foreign films -- for instance, "Skyfall" -- failed to come to India for work due to multiple-channels and chaos over the bureaucracy.