Highlighting the incentives and subsidies for film industry launched by the State, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday called upon the Bollywood film industry to take advantage of the incentives and subsidies.
“The Assam Government has recently formulated some attractive incentives and subsidies for film producers. We are committed to strongly work towards accelerating infrastructure support for film producers like accommodation, transport and roads,” said Sonowal while interacting with some of the top film producers and directyors of Bollywood today.
Sonowal also invited the producers and directors to assess the potentials of the film making in Assam and said that the Government will extend all possible help to them.
The Film fraternity also spoke about changing the perception about Assam's law and order situation. The Industry leaders suggested that Assam may consider constituting a film commission like Maharashtra. Suggestions were also given to also set up a film school, post production houses in Assam so people do not have to depend on Mumbai for Trained personnel.
Subhash Ghai, Producer, Mukta Arts, said he would like to set up a film institute in Assam, like Whistling Woods.
Appreciating the suggestions made by the film fraternity, Sonowal said that the state government would actively consider the same for implementation.
Soowal informed that the new incentives and subsidies include financial grant of 25 percent of cost incurred in Assam to Hindi, English or Foreign language Cinema makers who have produced minimum 5 feature films with country wide audience and minimum 25 percent of the entire shooting expenditure of the feature film in Assam subject to a maximum limit of Rs. 1 crore.
The Chief Minister further added that additional rebate of 10 percent for film having storyline on Assam's culture, tourism and heritage as well as for shooting more than 50 percent of the film in Assam are some of the incentives provided to the film makers. He also informed that the producers who have produced minimum 10 films in Hindi, English or Foreign language will be provided free accommodation and transport for the costs incurred by them during the period of stay for shooting of films in Assam.
During the two days visit, the Chief Minister today held one on one meetings with top industrialists and invited them to invest in Assam with primary focus on agriculture and food processing, handloom, textile and handicraft, tourism, hospitality and wellness, plastics and petrochemicals, power, pharmaceutical and medical devices, heavy industries, inland water transport, port township and River front development and IT & ITeS, civil aviation, petroleum and natural gas.
The Top Industry leaders who met the chief minister included Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Essel Group Chairman, Subhash Chandra, and a number of other top industry leaders like the Mahindras and the Hinduja Group apart from top leadership of sectoral associations like the Plastic Manufacturers Association.