Govt creates task force to boost capacity in Animation and Gaming sector

The task force will be headed by I&B Secy, will submit first action plan within 90 days

The Centre has constituted an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Promotion Task Force to recommend ways to realise and build domestic capacity for serving the country’s domestic market and the global demand. The task force will be headed by the Information & Broadcasting Secretary and will submit its first action plan within 90 days.

The task force will also have secretaries of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

The task force’s mandate broadly includes the framing of a national AVGC policy, recommending a national curriculum framework for graduation, post-graduation and doctoral courses in AVGC related sectors, facilitation of skilling initiatives in collaboration with academic institutions, vocational training centres and tp boost employment opportunities.

It will also be expected to facilitate promotion and market development activities to extend global reach of Indian AVGC Industry, and enhance exports and recommend incentives to attract FDI in AVGC sector.

The industry representation in the task force will include Biren Ghosh, Country Head, Technicolor India; Ashish Kulkarni, Founder of Punaryug Artvision; Jesh Krishna Murthy, Founder and CEO Anibrain; Keitan Yadav, COO and VFX Producer of Redchillies VFX; Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Chief Technology Officer, Whistling Woods International; Kishore Kichili, Sr. Vice President and Country Head, Zynga India; and Neeraj Roy, Managing Director and CEO of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment.

The AVGC Promotion Task Force also includes State Governments of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana; heads of education bodies such as All India Council of Technical Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training  and  representatives of industry bodies-MESC, FICCI and CII.

For the first time ever, the AVCG segment found mention in an Union Budget this year as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that a promotion task force would be set up for animation, visual effects, gaming and comics as the sector offers immense potential for employment.

This announcement sent a wave of cheer among several startups especially in the gaming sector, which have been battling with several state governments on their status as industry.