The MIB has released its annual budget laying down the planned outlay of funds and the major policy initiatives which it aims to achieve for the year 2014-2015. We have listed below some important planned policy initiatives:
- The Central Board for Film Certification (“CBFC”) should come-up with on-line certification of films, in the coming year;
- With the advance of science and technology, there has been immense growth in the 2D cell and 3D animation field which has been successfully incorporated by the Gaming and Television industry. However, India’s share is a tad lower than the others. Hence, on a priority basis, the Government has allotted INR 570,000,000 (Five Hundred and Seventy Million Rupees) for public private partnership projects for setting up of a Centre for Excellence in Animation and Gaming and VFX under the MIB in Punjab. It is envisaged that this center of excellence will help develop the required skill and talent in India and will present research opportunities in this sector.
- Strengthening of the EMMC, by expanding its scope to monitor a total of 1500 TV channels and further will also monitor Private FM channels and Community Radio Stations (“CRS”) for which a budget of INR 900,000,000 (Nine Hundred Million Rupees) has been sanctioned;
- Since the MIB issues Multi-System Operator licenses, Direct-to-Home licenses, Headend-in-the-Sky licenses etc., it plans to provide a web-based broadcasting licensing system for various broadcasting services which will have an inter-face with other ministries such as the MHA, the Department of Space, the Department of Revenue etc. This scheme is coined as “Automation of Broadcasting Wing”, which will be undertaken by the National Informatics Center on a turnkey basis and a planned budget of INR 40,000,000 (Forty Million Rupees) has been approved. By virtue of such automation process, a company applying for any license, will now be able to apply, manage and monitor the whole licensing process virtually.
