Lok Sabha Question No. 5591 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-26
Subject: Single Window Clearance Scheme
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5591 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2019

## SINGLE WINDOW CLEARANCE SCHEME

5591: SHRI MANISH TEWARI:

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

- (a)  the status of the Single Window Clearance Scheme for shooting films in India:
- (b)  whether it applies only to Foreign Films or Indian Films are also entitled to avail of such a facility;
- (c)  the number of foreign films and Indian films that have been cleared for shooting and production under this scheme between 1-4-2014 and 31-3-2019; and
- (d)  the  shortcomings  that  have  been  identified  in  this  scheme  and  the  manner  in which the Government proposes to check them?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE; AND MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR):

- (a)  to  (b):-  Ministry  of  Information  &  Broadcasting,  Government  of India,  set  up    Film  Facilitation  Office  (FFO)  with  a  view  to promote  and  facilitate  film  shootings  by  foreign  filmmakers  in India  in  November  2015.  It  acts  as  a  single-window  facilitation and clearance mechanism that eases filming in India as well as endeavoring  to  create  a  film-friendly  ecosystem  and  promoting the country as a filming destination. A dedicated web portal, www.ffo.gov.in,  has  been  set  up  with  the  objective  to disseminate  information  on  filming  facilities  available  in  the various States of India.  This will help foreign filmmakers to have information about the geographical conditions, important tourist

destinations, shooting locations and other information related to Media and Entertainment Sector in India.

- (c) The numbers of foreign films that have been accorded permissions for shooting in India from 1.4.2016 to 31.3.2019 are as under:

2016-17: 31

2017-18: 31

2018-19: 19

Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  announced  that  facility  of  web portal  which  is  available  to  foreign  filmmakers  should  also  be available for Indian filmmakers also.

- (d)  As  far  as  Indian  filmmakers are concerned, no application was received upto March, 2019 due to following reasons:-
- (i)   Majority of the State Governments are not having enabling environment to grant single window online clearances for shooting  permissions  for  Indian  filmmakers  as  there  are many authorities dealing with the issues like Local Urban Body, RTO, Police and Archaeological Department, Forest
- Department to name few.
- (ii)  Film  permissions  in  majority  of  the  Indian  states  need permissions  from  multifarious  Government  Departments which need to be minimized and rationalised so that they all  work  to  issue  permission  in  time  bound  manner  to facilitate filmmakers for doing business and filming in the
- States in shortest possible time.
- (iii)  However,  Ministry  of  Information  and  Broadcasting  has made best efforts to take all State Governments on board for  creating  and  enabling  environment  and  other  support required for Media and Entertainment industry.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken proactive measures  to  request  various  Central  Government  Ministries  to help  to  facilitate  shooting  permission  within  shortest  possible time and Animal Welfare Board of India, Archaeological Survey of India,  Directorate  General  of  Civil  Aviation,  Airports  Authority  of Change, Ministry of Railways, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs

India, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate have agreed to provide support.

FFO has already provided URL, Login ID and Password to all the  State  Nodal  officers  through  which  the  Nodal  Officers  can access  the  application  from  a  filmmaker  seeking  permission  to film  in  their  respective  Department  of  States  and  upload  the permission, after getting all the clearances.