'Govt taking steps to promote India as film shooting

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, M Venkaiah Naidu, today said the government has been taking several steps towards promoting Indian film industry and developing the country as a destination for film shootings.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of Indywood Carnival here, the Minister said media and entertainment is considered one of the promising sectors under 'Make in India' programme and one of the focus areas for 'Skill India' programme.
"One such initiative is the Film Facilitation Office, which has recently been set up to promote and facilitate film shootings by international film makers in India. The FFO would act as a facilitation point for the film producers in helping them in getting requisite permissions," Naidu said.

"It would also disseminate information on shooting locations and the facilities available with the Indian film industry for production/post production activities. The FFO would closely work with State Governments towards facilitation of film shootings in the country. The FFO is being operated by National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) from its offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata," he added.
According to him, new film and entertainment-oriented venture funds with average size of Rs 200 crore has come up in the recent years.
Quoting reports, he said the Indian film industry as worth Rs 12,600 crore in 2014, and expected to touch Rs 20,400 crore in 2019 (FICCI-KPMG Report).

The minister said though the Government has no business to be in the film industry, it has a duty to facilitate films by simplifying the rules and compliance.

"On the other hand, it has a duty to felicitate good films and film workers. It has duty to give space to good films as part of visual education to audience," he added.
He said his ministry has proposals to set up National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects (NCOE) with an objective of building a national centre of excellence to impart world class education at affordable fee structure in animation, gaming, visual effects and comics and create a world class talent pool in India to cater to the Indian and global players.

The project envisages operation of the Centre with the help of a private partner, he explained.