Union Budget 2026 | Govt allocates Rs 250 cr for content creator labs in schools, colleges to support AVGC sector

New Delhi: With the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector projected to require two million professionals by 2030, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday unveiled a plan for talent development in the sector by helping to set up content creator labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges.

A first-time allocation of Rs 250 crore has been made in the Demands for Grants for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for talent development in AVGC sector, under which the government promotes India and its youth as leaders in content creation.

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In her budget speech, she said India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector is a growing industry, projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030. "I propose to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges," she said.

The budget documents showed that the Ministry has been allocated Rs 4551.94 crore, with the bulk going to Prasar Bharati. The budget for the Ministry has shot up to Rs 6,103.2 crore in 2025-26 in revised estimates though the initial allocation was Rs 4,358.38 crore.

Though the bulk of the Ministry's budget is going to the Prasar Bharati, the public broadcaster has been allocated Rs 2,291.88 crore, much less than the revised estimates of Rs 4,059.24 crore and the initial allocation of Rs 2,379.70 crore for 2025-26.

An allocation of Rs 1,476.83 crore has been made under the head information and publicity, covering the expenditure of government media units like the Central Bureau of Communication, Press Information Bureau, Publications Division, New Media Wing and Electronic Media Monitoring Centre among others.

For Broadcasting Infrastructure Network Development, Rs 509.24 crore has been allocated. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the scheme aims at digitalisation and FM-isation of AIR Network, upgradation of capacity of DTH platform to accommodate more channels and enriching viewers experience.

The budget documents also show an allocation of Rs Rs 344.55 crore for promotion and preservation of Indian cinema by means of film festivals, production of new films and documentaries and to provide

Indian cinema with a national and international platform to showcase its work,

To generate awareness in citizens about various schemes and programmes of the government to enable the target beneficiaries to avail benefits of the developmental schemes and elicit people participation in the process of development, Rs 250 crore has been earmarked.

An allocation of Rs eight crore has been made for supporting the community of radio movement in India under which is a crucial communication tool, particularly in communities where most people neither read nor write.