[icernet] Centre eases norms to woo foreign film makers

[Arul Selvan]

The government has announced a string of measures to attract foreign 
film crews to shoot in India. The measures as announced by the Union 
Minister for Information & Broadcasting Ravi Shankar Prasad, at the CII 
pavilion at Cannes, including easing of procedures and regulations 
regarding script clearance and visa permissions, are aimed at making 
India an attractive shooting location. Now, a shooting crew simply needs 
to inform the I&B Ministry one month prior to the commencement of the 
shoot about their filming details including the cast and locations 
chosen. The permission to shoot will be given in a matter of two to 
three weeks. However, the relaxations have been diluted in case the 
shooting is scheduled for either Jammu & Kashmir or the northeastern 
states where the application may take more time and will be approved by 
Home Ministry instead of the I&B Ministry. In addition, all scripts 
submitted for approval will be cleared in three weeks and will be deemed 
approved after that period if the ministry does not respond. According 
to the minister, submission of the list of shooting equipment would 
enable the ministry to recommend a temporary exemption from import duty.


Source:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=47179442