J-K Govt mulling to re-open existing cinema halls

SRINAGAR — Government of Jammu and Kashmir is mulling to encourage and incentivize owners to reopen closed cinema halls in Kashmir Valley.

Pertinently, cinema halls in Valley were closed after the eruption of militancy back in 1990’s. Some of the cinema halls in the valley have been converted into medical facilities, malls or have been occupied by government forces.

Film Policy-2021 which has been implemented in Jammu and Kashmir, states that besides encouraging cinema hall owners to re-open their cinema houses, incentives will be offered to them. Government is also mulling to upgrade the existing cinema halls in the Valley.

Two days back, State Administrative Council headed by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha as per news agency Kashmir News Trust accorded sanction to the implementation of Film Policy-2021.

The Film Policy lays down that in order to promote film viewing in the cinema halls, it is important to modernize and upgrade the facilities and technologies available in the existing cinema halls. The Government shall encourage the owners of the cinema halls to create modern amenities by way of various incentives. All the incentives to such units shall be governed under the provisions of J&K Industrial Policy 2021.

Besides, those persons will be offered incentives who will build new Multiplexes and Cinema Halls in Jammu and Kashmir.

In order to create a suitable environment and promotion of film production in Jammu & Kashmir, security and safety arrangements would be made free of cost to enable the filmmakers to complete shooting. Permission to shoot shall include police clearance and shall be granted within one month of receiving application from the applicant. The security team will be specially trained for film shoots.

“A Nodal Security Officer from the Police Department shall be nominated who shall be responsible for facilitating the film shooting in matters related to security and police,” it read.

Besides Jammu & Kashmir Film Development Council (JKFDC) will be set up. It will be a High-Powered Committee headed by a senior officer of the rank of Principal Secretary to the Government and shall comprise, besides other senior officers, eminent personalities of Film industry and others related to the industry.

J&K Film Division will be constituted under the Information and Public Relations Department.

If the filmmaker is giving work opportunity to the local artists of J&K, then an additional subsidy shall be provided. This additional subsidy shall be a maximum of Rs. 50 lakh for a film with cast of minimum five primary local artists or 50 percent of the actual payment of artists, whichever is less.

Producers and their crew will have priority booking privilege in getting accommodation. Accommodation to producers and their crew will be given on fifty percent rebate over the prevailing rates of rooms at Government-owned hotels across J&K.

Tax incentives for films production shall be provided as per Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy 2021.

The Government of Jammu & Kashmir will promote and facilitate the creation of infrastructure both in the private and joint venture mode required for making films. Until the availability of this infrastructure in the private sector, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir will make efforts to remove the shortcomings in the existing setup.

The J&K Government envisages to establish a training Institute of Performing and Visual Arts which will offer long-term courses on Film-making and short-term courses to develop skill sets such as camera attendant’s skills, production staff, art setting etc. pending the establishment of such institutes, the services of already established institutes like EMMRC (Department of Electronics, Multimedia Research Centre), University of Kashmir and FTTI, Pune shall be utilized, whenever required.

The Government of Jammu & Kashmir will also promote the setting up of film studios and processing labs until a fully active film city is established in Jammu & Kashmir.