Lok Sabha Question No. 3048 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-06
Subject: National Film Archive
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Behanan Benny

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3048 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2019

## NATIONAL FILM ARCHIVE

## 3048. SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

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

- (a) the present status/stage of the National Film Heritage Mission;
- (b) the status of ongoing digitization programmes under the mission; and
- (c) the details of the role of National Film Archive in the Heritage Mission and the associated technology partners in the digitization programme?

## 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): Administrative approval for implementation of the National Film Heritage  Mission  (NFHM)  was  issued  on  24.11.2014  to  undertake preservation  and  restoration  of  India's  film  heritage  in  a  Mission Mode. The Scheme is spread over 2014-15 to 2020-21 and envisaged at a total cost of Rs.597.41 Crore. The project is being implemented through the National Film Archive of India (NFAI).

The  scheme  is  continuing  since  its  launch  in  November,  2014. However,  there  were  reports  in  the  media  in  September,  2017

regarding  decaying  of  film  reels  in  the  NFAI,  Pune.  Following  the reports,  it  was  decided  not  to  process  any  further  RFPs  until  the activities  under  the  NFHM  are  reviewed  and  a  way  forward  is finalized. In this regard, a Committee of Technical Experts consisting of eminent film personalities namely Shri Shaji N Karun, Shri Ponnaya, Shri Piyush Shah, Shri K S Sasidharan and Shri Ketan Mehta, was constituted on 26.04.2018 to look into the condition of the  films  and  related  material  at  NFAI  and  to  suggest  ways  and means  of  restoring  them.  The  committee  submitted  its  detailed report  on  preservation  practices  of  NFHM/NFAI  and  suggested measures  to  be  taken  on  technical  and  general  aspects  of  film preservation.

The present status/stage of the various activities envisaged under the NFHM Scheme is as following:

- i) The 'Collection Assessment of film material' is completed and handing over is in process.
2. ii) The  number  of  films  to  be  preserved  under  the  'Preventive Conservation of film content' depends on the outcome of the collection  assessment  of  films.  As  the  quantum  of  work  has been  considerably  reduced,  the  contract  with  the  selected bidder for Preventive Conservation will be revised.
3. iii) The  evaluation  of  bids  under  'Digitization  of  film  content  at NFAI' is in progress.
4. iv) The  Request  for  Proposal  for  'Restoration  of  Film  Content' was floated on 15 th  November, 2019 with last date of receiving bids if 7 th  January, 2020.
- v) NFAI has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with M/s National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) India Limited  on  30 th   April,  2019  in  relation  to  planning,  designing and construction of Storage facility (Vaults) of Global Standards and maintenance of NFAI facilities at Phase I and Phase II. The preparation of a Detailed Project Report for vault construction at the NFAI Phase II premises is in progress.
6. (b): The Request for Proposal  for  'Digitization  of  Film  Content  at NFAI' was floated on 20 th  May, 2019 and evaluation of the bids is in progress. However, 566 films have been digitized out of which 325 films have been restored under the 12 th  Five Year Plan scheme on pilot basis.

(c): The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) is the only National Archive in India which caters to the niche subject of preservation, conservation and digitization of film content. Along with films, the non-filmic material like posters, photos, song booklets, pamphlets, etc.  is  also  digitized  and  restored  for  posterity.  Further,  capacity building  programmes  such  as  Film  Appreciation  Courses  and  Film Preservation Workshops are being undertaken on regular basis. The various technology partners associated with NFAI are -

- i) Federation of International Film Archives (FIAF) and its member countries that also allows technological and cultural exchange in the field of film archiving.
2. ii) NIC, C-DAC and IIT Mumbai for information technology inputs.
3. ***