Lok Sabha Question No. 4230 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: NFDC
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Behanan Benny

NFDC

4230: SHRI BENNY BEHANAN

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  National  Film  Development  Corporation  (NFDC)  has  outlived  its utility;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof and if not, the schemes it has undertaken during the last two years to cater to the film sector of India; and
- (c)  whether the NFDC has planned any co-productions with any of the entities in the near future and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE; MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) No, Sir.
- (b) National Film Development Corporation (NFDC)  has undertaken the following schemes with support from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting:
- (i) Production of films in various Indian languages

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4230 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2019)

In 2016, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India entered into an Agreement with National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to enable the execution of the  Scheme 'Production  of  films  in  various  Indian  languages'.  This  activity  is carried  out  by  the  NFDC      under  the  Scheme  of  the  Ministry  of Information and Broadcasting, titled 'Development, Communication and Dissemination of Filmic Content', wherein NFDC produces and co-produces  films  in  various  Indian  languages  that  reflect  the Cinemas  of India.  NFDC  encourages  debutant filmmakers by undertaking  100%  production  of  their  first  feature  film,  while simultaneously co-producing good quality films in partnership with private players both from India and abroad.

## (ii) Film Facilitation Office - Easing filming in India

The  Ministry  of  Information  and  Broadcasting  (I&B)  under  the Government's  policy  of  "Ease  of  doing  Business"  set  up  the  Film Facilitation Office (FFO) in the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in December 2015, for international filmmakers, who wish to shoot their Feature Films, TV/Web shows and series &

Reality  TV/Web  shows  and  series  in  India.  The  FFO's ' Film  in India' mandate  thus promotes  India  as  a  filming  destination. With the  launch  of  its  web  portal www.ffo.gov.in in  November  2018,  the FFO established an online single window facilitation and clearance mechanism that eases the process of filming/shooting in India, for filmmakers  from  abroad. Once  the  Ministry  of  I&B   approves  a project  proposal,  Indian  Missions  abroad  grant  Film  Visa    to  the project  team.  The  FFO  web  portal  has  started  accepting  online applications  from  Indian  filmmakers  also,  who  wish  to  film  in various locations situated in different States of India.

- (c) Yes, Sir. NFDC has co-produced the film 'B eyond the Known World', directed  by  Shri  Pan  Nalin,  which  is  the  first  feature  film  to  be recognized  under  the  Agreement  on  Audio-Visual  Co-production between the Governments of India and New Zealand.

NFDC has also commissioned the following feature films in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

-  Production  Korangi  Nunchi (Telugu)  and Chaad (Bengali), which are directed by first-time feature filmmakers.
-  Co-production Laal Maati (Marathi), Lonak (Hindi), Joseph Ki Macha (Manipuri), Pedh  Pe  Kamra (Dogra), Ek  Laal  Kameez (Chhattisgarhi).

During the visit of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India in April, 2017, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India announced that both countries have agreed to jointly produce a feature film on the life .  National Film Development  Corporation  Limited  (NFDC),  India  and  Bangladesh Film  Development  Corporation  Limited  (BFDC),  Bangladesh  have and works of Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman been appointed as Executive Producers of this film.

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