FDI cap in DTH to go up to 74%

Q&A: ASHA SWARUP

on the sidelines of FICCI Frames 2008.

The ministry is planning to come up with an animation centre. Can you elaborate on this?

Currently, we are planning to construct one animation centre in Pune. We have asked PwC to prepare a detailed report for the same; it should be ready in the next four months.

We expect the National Institute for Animation to take at least three years to come up. We are also looking at other players. We are speaking to the HRD ministry to include animation in college curricula. We also want animation to be included in the curriculum at the ITIs.

You spoke about increasing the equity base of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). How soon will the decision be taken?

No final decision has been taken yet; we are still reviewing it. We already have a plan that will be cleared by the minister soon and it will then go to the Cabinet. We are expecting the decision to taken in a month's time.

What is the progress on the National Museum of Moving Image?

We expect the project to start by the end of this year. It will be situated in Mumbai. We have prepared the draft report that will soon go to the Cabinet. We have a planned figure of Rs 60 crore to be used for this purpose.

Any reconsideration in the FDI cap in the media industry?

No, news and current affairs will continue to have 26 per cent FDI participation. But we see the FDI cap going up in the direct-to-home (DTH) segment from the present 49 per cent to 74 per cent. We are also expecting that

Any development on the IPTV policy?

We have accepted the recommendations made by Trai on the IPTV policy. We will table the IPTV policy for Cabinet approval by end of April this year.

Will mobile TV make an appearance in India this year?

Mobile TV depends on the opening up of terrestrial networks. Bandwidth for mobile TV services is ample but telecom providers need to be involved. They also need to digitise their networks to enable mobile TV transmission; Prasar Bharti is in talks with them to enable the same.

Although we haven't started talking to telecom providers, we are confident of the support from Bharti and other GSM players.