Panel set up for single-window clearance of film shooting

Both foreign and domestic film-makers will now find it much easier to shoot their movies in various places including historical  sites in India as the Centre has set up an inter-ministerial committee for single window clearance of their applications.

The setting up of the 10-member committee was announced by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry here on Monday.

The panel, to be headed by the I&B ministry secretary, comprises officials from Ministries of External Affairs, Defence, Home Affairs, Tourism, Culture, Railways and Civil Aviation.

The I&B ministry had joined hands with culture ministry last year to create a mechanism for speedy clearance of proposals from film makers for shooting movies in different parts of the country as the existing mechanism for this was then very complex and time-consuming. Foreign film makers had to get clearance from as many as 30 different agencies for shooting their films.

The move was initiated by the two ministries both to attract foreign tourists and promote India as an ‘international filming destination.’