Lok Sabha Question No. 6023 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: Orange Economy Initiatives
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Eatala Rajender, Smt. Kriti Devi Debbarman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6023 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2026

## ORANGE ECONOMY INITIATIVES

6023:  SMT. KRITI DEVI DEBBARMAN

SHRI EATALA RAJENDER

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

- a) whether the Government has successfully operationalised the 'Orange Economy' initiatives as outlined in the 2026-27 Budget specifically the setting up of Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and if so, the details thereof;
- b) whether  the  AVGC  sector  being  a  growing  industry  is  likely  to  require  two  million professionals by 2030 and if so, the details thereof;
- c) the manner in which the newly launched WaveX startup accelerator helped the first cohort of 51 Media- Tech startups in securing global IP (Intellectual Property) rights for Al-driven animation and gaming;
- d) whether  the  Government  has  finalised  the  establishment  of  the  National  Centre  of Excellence (NCoE) for AVGC in Mumbai, if so, the details of its projected capacity for year-one student intake; and
- e) the manner in which the 'Create in India' Challenge being utilised in 2026 to identify and fund grassroots content creators from Tier-II and Tier-III cities to compete on global OTT platforms?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN)

(a) to (e):

The Government has been promoting the media and entertainment sector, including Animation, Visual  Effects,  Gaming  and  Comics  (AVGC)  sector.    Under  the  Government's  vision  of strengthening the orange economy and positioning India as a global hub for content creation, many initiatives have been started.

As  announced  in  the  Union  Budget  2026-27,  AVGC  Content  Creator  Labs  (CCLs)  are proposed to be set up in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges across the country. This initiative have been allocated ₹ 250 Crore.

IICT as NCoE for the AVGC-XR sector is currently operating from the IICT-National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) campus, Mumbai since July 2025. At present, 18 courses have been introduced with 136 students enrolled and 15 participants completing the Train-theTrainer programme. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), Mumbai, has been designated as the nodal agency for planning, coordination and phased rollout of the Content Creators'  Labs.  Stakeholder  consultations  relating  to  technology  stack,  identification  of beneficiary institutions and rollout modalities are underway.

The  AVGC  Promotion  Task  Force  was  constituted  by  the  Government  in  April  2022  to formulate a comprehensive strategy and recommend policy measures for the promotion and growth of the AVGC- XR sector. It had submitted its report in December 2022. The report highlights that the sector is projected to generate significant employment opportunities and may  require  around  two  million  skilled  professionals  by  2030  across  AVGC-XR,  content production, design, programming and related areas.

The Government organised World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) in Mumbai. It was in line with the Government's vision of making India a global hub for content creation under the 'Create in India, Create for the World' initiative. The Summit provided an integrated platform for Indian creators, producers and startups to engage with global buyers, investors, OTT platforms and technology leaders from over 100 countries.

The WaveX Startup  Accelerator Programme, launched  under the World Audio  Visual  and Entertainment  Summit  (WAVES),  has  supported  media-tech  startups  through  structured incubation, mentorship and access to global networks. The first cohort of startups has been provided  opportunities  for  mentorship  from  industry  experts,  investor  connect,  support  for intellectual property generation and protection. The programme also facilitates participation in international  platforms,  industry  partnerships  and  integration  with  global  marketplaces  to enable startups to scale their innovations.

The Create in India Challenge (CIC) is being utilised as a national platform to identify, nurture and showcase creative talent across the Media and Entertainment sector. In Season I of the CIC, 33 challenges were conducted in collaboration with industry partners and it culminated at the WAVES 2025. The Summit witnessed participation from over one lakh creators including from Tier-II and Tier-III cities of the country. Selected creators are being supported through platforms  such  as  WaveX  and  WAVES  Bazaar  to  present  their  content  on  national  and international platforms.

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