Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday met Central Board of Film Certification Chairman Prasoon Joshi and film actor Anupam Kher at the Chief Minister’s residence. He discussed various topics related to film production and filming in the state and the various facilities being provided by the state government for film production in the state. Describing the state’s new film policy 2024 as an effort to promote films, he also expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the state’s film policy. He said that the new film policy will give more boost to filming in Uttarakhand.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that after the approval of the 2024 Film Policy in the state, the tourist places of the state will get a new identity in the country and the world. Under the new film policy, a grant of Rs 2 crore is being given for local films. A single window system has been created for filming so that the filmmakers can be facilitated. Subsidy is also being given on shooting of films and OTT. Many other schemes are being worked on by the government to encourage the film industry. He said that efforts are also being made so that our artists can make a national identity in the film world on the basis of their talent.
The Chief Minister said that the government is committed to the development of every sector related to film production. Film production will promote new activities of direct employment in the state as well as give new strength to the tourism of the state. He said that the process of identifying new shooting destinations with the cooperation of the Tourism Department and promoting them for shooting has also been started, so that relatively less famous tourist places of Uttarakhand can also be promoted through films.
The Chief Minister said that from January 2024 till now, more than 150 shooting permissions have been granted in just 8 months through the online permission single window system of Uttarakhand Film Vikas Parishad. He said that a provision has been made in the film policy that the departments under the Uttarakhand government will not charge any fee for film shooting except the protected forest area of the state. The film policy also has a provision to promote the untouched shooting destinations of Uttarakhand.
The Chief Minister said that the Uttarakhand Film Policy 2024 provides for a subsidy of up to 50 percent of the expenditure incurred in the state on film production for regional language films or a maximum of Rs 2 crore, and a grant of 30 percent of the expenditure incurred in the state on film production for Hindi and languages coming in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution or a maximum of Rs 3 crore.
Actor Anupam Kher, while appreciating the simple shooting permission process under the single window system by the Uttarakhand Film Vikas Parishad, described the state as a completely film friendly destination for filmmakers for shooting. He described film shooting here as very easy compared to other states, and also appreciated the help provided by the local people. He described the new film policy as favorable to filmmakers. Film actor Kher said that film and web series shooting has gained momentum in Uttarakhand for some time now. Recently, the shooting of “Anupam Kher Studio’s” film “Tanvi the Great” was also done by him in Lansdowne which was completed in 36 days. On this occasion, CEO and Director General of Information of Uttarakhand Film Development Council Banshidhar Tiwari was also present.
