(5 August 2005 7:00 pm)

BANGALORE: Taking a cue from his counterpart in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka CM Dharam Singh said that his cabinet had okayed the proposal to bring about and Anti-piracy act to punish those who indulge in audio and video piracy and is considering to bring the offense under the Goonda Act which could carry a one year imprisonment sentence. Some amendments will have to be made into the Act in order to implement the new decision.

Singh was speaking at a function organized to felicitate the winners of national and state awards. Singh announced sops for the beleaguered Kannada film industry. Singh announced plans of setting up a film academy in two months.

Singh also revealed that the state government had set aside 400 acres of land for a Film City to counter Ramoji Rao Film City -- now in the Guinnes Book of World Records for being world's largest film studio complex. Singh also said that the government planed to build a city similar to the Hi-tech city planned for the IT-BT industry and that the BDA had come forward for sites for the Kannada film industry personnel.

In the meantime, the Karnataka state legislative assembly has passed an amendment bill for levying entertainment tax per ticket of Re. 1 on non-a/c theaters and Rs. 1.50 on a/c theaters.