"The recently amended Indian Copyright Act is progressive, enhances equity and will provide impetus to creativity," Information and Broadcasting secretary Uday Kumar Varma said.
He was speaking at a seminar during the inaugural session of a festival of Indian films to commemorate the centenary of Indian cinema here yesterday.
Varma said that the ministry has launched a special scheme to create awareness about copyright and piracy of films and the need to combat it.
He said that multi-media campaigns will be launched and the ministry would collaborate with industry and NGOs to create awareness.
He added that a Museum of Indian Cinema is being set up in Mumbai to commemorate hundred years of Indian Cinema.
The festival to mark the centenary of Indian cinema is being hosted by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), a UN agency along with the Indian government.
Speaking on the occasion, Francis Gurry, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) said that respect for copyrights is central to encourage creativity in films and in the growth of the industry.
Renowned film director Anurag Basu said that Indian cinema has grown strong during 100 years of its existence and has not only survived in the global arena but is gaining more audience worldwide due to its distinct style and variety.
He stressed upon raising awareness about piracy of films and take effective steps to combat it.
The festival is part of the international events planned by I&B ministry to mark the centenary of Indian cinema.
The earlier festivals have been organised at Dhaka (Bangladesh) in September, 2012, Bangkok (Thailand) in October and Warsaw (Poland) in Nov, 2012.
