INDIA TO BE ENTERTAINMENT HUB SOON: SMT. SWARAJ
The Government would usher
in a policy framework to fully realize the potential of the entertainment
sector and make India a hub of the entertainment sector. The Government
will play the role of a pro-active facilitator in this regard.
Delivering the
key-note address on "India as an Entertainment Hub: A Role for
Government" at the CII National Conference and Annual Session,
here today, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Smt. Sushma
Swaraj said that ‘our vibrant democracy – a record of more than
50 years our strong legal and judicial system, freedom of the
fourth estate and the capabilities of our entrepreneurs, provide
the right mix of ingredients for India to be the hub of the entertainment
industry’. She said the ban uplinking from Indian soil has been
removed and 56 channels are already uplinking from India today.
FDI in teleports is permissible upto 49 per cent and 14 companies
have been licenced. Carriage technologies of DTH as well as cable
are available to the entrepreneurs. FDI in advertising and film
sector has been permitted to 100 per cent without any conditions,
she added.
Smt. Swaraj informed that for the
first time a fairly liberal amount has been budgeted in the 10th
Plan for the promotion of Indian films abroad. The Government
and the Indian Film Industry will jointly set up a large pavilion
at the Cannes Film Festival to be held in the month of may this
year. The Minister said that a homage to Raj Kapoor by screening
three of his films has been agreed to by the Cannes Authorities
and this is the first time that the Indian Film Industry is getting
such a recognition at Cannes. She expressed happiness that the
film ‘Davdaas’ will be premiered in the special section at Cannes.
Visa procedure for foreign crews shooting films in India are likely
to be made even more simple. The Government is also pursuing the
finalization of co-production agreements with different countries.
The Minister said that the Government
recognizes the immense potential of the Entertainment Sector both
in the short term and in the long term. In fact, the growth rate
of the entertainment industry, which is now nearly 30 per cent
per annum, far out-strips the growth rates exhibited by most of
the other industries, she added.
