Want to make India global media, entertainment hub: Ministry

Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Sunil Arora on Friday said that the ministry's objective is to make India the hub of media and entertainment industry in the world.

"One of our primary objectives is to bring down the number of visitors to Shastri Bhavan and move towards less regulation and facilitate India to become the hub of media and entertainment industry," Arora said during Ficci-Frames 2016, held in Mumbai.

Ficci-Frames is the annual conclave of media and entertainment industry attracting policy makers, producers, distributors, media and entertainment industry professionals in large numbers. The theme for 2016 is "Year of the Digital: Change or Perish".

Speaking to Star CEO Uday Shankar and filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, Arora said that the ministry has expedited the clearance for new TV channels over the last six months.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has agreed to most of the suggestions made by the I&B Ministry about liberalising several conditions," he said.

Arora also said the ministry was guided by the 'minimum government, maximum governance' philosophy and remained committed to promoting ease of doing business in the media and entertainment sector.

"The government and ministry was completely committed to digitisation programme, but expressed concern over less than 10 per cent share of Indian-made Set Top Boxes (STB). We want the industry to look at this as an opportunity under the Make In India initiative and produce more STBs."

He also disclosed that the government will set up the National Centre of Excellence in Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects in Mumbai, for which the Maharashtra government is providing 25 acres of land near Film City in Goregaon, Mumbai.

The government has also approved Rs.598 crore National Film Heritage Mission to preserve and promote India's rich film and cultural heritage.

"National Museum of Indian Cinema is coming up in Films Division complex on Pedder Road (Mumbai) with several interactive exhibits. The prime minister has taken a keen interest in this museum, which is being curated by the National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata", he added.

Arora said that a Film Facilitation Office has also opened in the National Film Development Corporation to function as a single window service for film related clearances.

"An award has been instituted as part of the National Film Awards to honour the states that are most film friendly. In 2016, Gujarat has been adjudged the most film friendly state, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Kerala," Arora said.

--Indo-Asian New Service

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