Punjab to announce new film policy, set up rural cinema halls

Punjab will come up with a new Film Policy within two months that will enshrine the concept of rural cinema halls claimed to first of its kind in the country.
Aimed at providing entertainment facilities to villagers, the state proposes to set up cinema halls in villages having one or two screens and having a capacity of 100 seats.
"It will help entertainment of rural masses at low costs and provide impetus to production of more Punjabi and other languages films in the state," said Punjab's Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while deliberating on the Film Policy for Punjab drafted by National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

Chaired by Badal, the meeting was attended by Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Principal Secretary Tourism Geetika Kalha, besides NFDC Chairman Ramesh Sippy and its Managing Director Nina Lath Gupta and Punjab's Tourism Secretary Raji P Srivastava.
To showcase Punjab's diversity and historic religio-cultural heritage through films, the Deputy Chief Minister also announced that from the year 2014 Punjab would award quality films, producers, actors and others with awards ranging from Rs 25 lakh, 15 lakh and 10 lakh.
Inviting producers to shoot films in Punjab, Badal offered to initiate various incentives, strategic support and facilitating single window clearance for the entire shooting process besides post-productions facilities.

Emphasising the need for developing proper human resource backup for film industry in the state, he also gave a nod to set up world-class Film Training Institute in Mohali with the help of NFDC that would provide specialisation indifferent trades related to the film industry.

Describing the mass media and filmmaking as sunrise industry, the Deputy Chief Minister said the new film policy would certainly promote cinematic tourism in the state.
"This comprehensive policy will attract film producers and directors to come to the state and establish a film city and film institute also," he said.
Badal said films not only help generate revenue they also have the potential to boost local tourism and trade.