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NEW
DELHI: The film industry has once again opposed a proposal
by the Government for a cess on film raw stock to constitute
a fund for fighting video piracy, saying that the film industry
is doing its bit to fight this menace.
Representatives
of the film industry are understood to have said at a meeting
convened by Information and Broadcasting Ministry to discuss
setting up of a Export Promotion Council that there was already
much hue and cry over the welfare cess that filmmakers are
obliged to pay at the time of getting their films certified
by the Central Board of Film Certification.
The
meeting held yesterday with Additional Secretary Pradeep Singh
was attended among others by officials of the Film and Television
Producers Guild of India (FTPGI), the National Film Development
Corporation, the Confederation of Indian Industry, ASSOCHAM,
FICCI, Indian Film Exporters Association, the Film and TV
Producers Guild of South India, and the South Indian Film
Exporters Association etc.
The
meeting was part of a process initiated by Information and
Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi when he constituted
certain Core Groups last year to submit their suggestions
on matters of paramount significance to the industry such
as Export Promotion Council, Video Piracy etc within a stipulated
time frame.
The
meeting discussed the recommendations of the Core Groups for
setting up of an Export Promotion Council (which was initially
mooted by the prestigious ICE committee set up by the Prime
Minister’s Office) for the film industry, participation
of film bodies in film festivals, request from the film industry
for export credit to be provided on easy term subsidies, attempt
to fix target for existing and new markets in order to evolve
specific policy and monitoring achievements and such other
matters of significance to the entertainment industry.
FTPGI
Secretary General Supran Sen listed the steps taken to formulate
the Memorandum and Rules of the proposed Export Promotion
Council despite lack of cooperation from certain other sectors.
The meeting also discussed steps being taken to combat video
piracy.
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