Technology for ensuring single window clearance to be set up soon- Secretary (I&B)

Technology for ensuring single window clearance to be set up soon- Secretary (I&B)
Online mechanism to provide single window clearance to be ready in 3 months
India to consider providing special package of Indian films for Cairo International Film Festival


The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will be working on a roadmap to ensure that the technological parameters for creating the platform for the single window clearance for shooting of films in India. This was stated by Secretary (I&B), Shri Uday Kumar Varma at the India Pavilion at the Cannes International Film Festival. Elaborating further, Shri Varma said that the online mechanism would be worked out on priority so as to ensure early clearance of proposals for shooting of films in India. Regarding the timelines, Secretary (I&B) said that it was possible to establish the process within three months.

Regarding the details of the process, Secretary mentioned that the overall timeframe for total clearances would be between 6-8 weeks from the time of the application. He specifically mentioned that the processes involved would take the given time in view of parameters involved for providing the clearances. As far as the Ministry of I&B was concerned, Shri Varma mentioned that the approvals of the script would be undertaken by the Ministry as done in the past.

Responding to queries at the meeting of the French Film Commission, Secretary, I&B provided an overview of the policy initiatives undertaken by the ministry in the domain of films. He highlighted the measures undertaken to promote the co production initiatives with different countries and the pro active efforts taken to mainstream the single window clearance process with both the Central Government agencies and the State Governments.

In a related development, the Vice President of Cairo International Film festival, Ms.Soheir Abd El Kader, called upon Secretary, I&B to discuss India’s participation as a partner country in the forthcoming edition of Cairo International Film Festival in November, 2013. Ms.Kader requested that India send a special package of Indian films for the upcoming festival. She also requested that delegation of acclaimed film makers and members of the cast of films in the special package be sent to the festival. Ms.Kader mentioned that they were hoping for greater participation by Indian film makers in the Egyptian market. She assured that Cairo film festival would facilitate an interaction between the Indian film makers and their Egyptian counterparts during the festival.