Manish Tewari

Manish Tewari, Union Information & Broadcasting Minister

Foreign filmmakers wishing to shoot in India would find the going hassle-free with the government planning to provide them a single window clearance for their ventures.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said that the ministry would issue a notification soon on setting up an inter-ministerial empowered committee that would provide single window clearance for shooting of foreign films in India.

The proposed panel would include representatives of the state governments and key central government ministries. “The creation of such an empowered committee would provide the platform and impetus to promote India as a filming destination across the world. This initiative is an important step in view of the country celebrating the commemoration of 100 years of Indian cinema,” said Tewari.

He said that the Justice Mudgal Committee, set up to review the mandate and functioning of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and recommend measures, including statutory changes to enable board to deal with contemporary requirements of certification and increased transparency and efficiency, was expected to submit its recommendations shortly.

The recommendations would help the ministry to review the legal architecture for film certification process.

The committee would also review the categories of certification, existing and proposed, under the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2013, review the mandate and functioning of Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) in order to make it a more efficacious appellate body.

This initiative comes as a step in view of the country commemorating 100 years of its Cinema. The Minister stated this while delivering the key note address at the release of the Limca Book of Records 2013 dedicated to 100 years of Indian Cinema.

(Source: IANS)