JKFDC, separate Film Division to be established
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today formally unveiled its Film Policy announcing series of incentives for shooting movies, free of cost security and safety arrangements for the filmmakers, setting up of J&K Film Development Council (JKFDC) to be headed by senior officers of the rank of Principal Secretary to the Government and J&K Film Division.
The Film Policy aimed at attracting Bollywood once again to Jammu and Kashmir which used to be their favourite destination till militancy erupted in nineties was released by Principal Secretary to Government Rohit Kansal.
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Excelsior had exclusively reported that the J&K Government will set up first-ever JKFDC.
“Appropriate security and safety arrangements would be made free of cost to enable the filmmakers to complete shooting in Jammu and Kashmir. Permission to shoot will include police clearance which will be granted within one month of receiving application, Security team will be specially trained/oriented for film shoots. A Nodal Security Officer from the Police Department will be nominated who will be responsible for facilitating the film shooting matters related to security and police,” the Film Policy document said.
The Government would give subsidy up to Rs one crore or 25 percent of the total Cost of Production (CoP) whichever is lower if minimum 50 percent of the movie is shot in Jammu and Kashmir. The subsidy will go up to Rs 1.5 crore or 25 percent of the CoP if 75 percent movie is shot in the UT. For shooting second movie, the subsidy will rise to Rs 1.25 crore or 25 percent of CoP for 50 percent shooting and Rs 1.75 crore or 25 percent of CoP in case of 75 percent shooting.
For third film, the subsidy will further go up to Rs 1.5 cr or 25 per cent of CoP and Rs 2 crore and 25 percent of CoP for 50 per cent and 75 percent shooting respectively.
If the films are produced by award-winning Producers/Directors they will get Rs 1.75 cr subsidy on shooting the film of half of its total shooting days which will rise to Rs 2.25 crore if the film is short for two-third of total shooting days. This will be for second film in the UT which for third or successive film in the UT, the amount will further go up to Rs 2.25 cr and Rs 3.25 cr for half and two-third shooting days respectively.
Producers and their crew will get 50 percent rebate over prevailing rates of room at Government hotels across J&K.
If J&K is prominently featured in a feature film with more than 75 percent shooting days in the UT, then the Tourism sector gets directly benefited here. Such a film of each category (first, second, third and subsequent film) shall be given an additional subsidy of Rs 50 lakh which will be decided by the JKFDC on case to case basis.
On producing film on the story/script based on the UT of J&K with a view of special branding (J&K specific movies), a special grant of 50 percent of the cost of production of film or Rs 5 cr, whichever is less, shall be provided.
“Percentage of film shooting in the UT shall be calculated in proportion to the number of days shot in J&K out of total shooting days of entire film”, the Policy document said, adding if the filmmaker gives work opportunity to the local artists of J&K, then an additional subsidy shall be provided which will be maximum of Rs 50 lakh for a film with cost of minimum five primary local artists of J&K of or 50 percent of actual payment of the artists. For a film with cast of minimum of 5 secondary artists of J&K, a minimum additional subsidy of Rs 10 lakh of 50 percent of actual payment of artists will be given.
Similarly, the Government has announced subsidies for shooting Film/TV show/web series/original shot of OTT platform and documentary besides TV serials and shows.
“The Film Policy sets the vision up till 2026 with the aim of maximizing potential of both Jammu and Kashmir Film Servicing Industry as well as the promising local film sector. The Policy will serve to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a unique film destination,” the document said.
“The JKFDC will be a separate vertical and act as a distinct agency to achieve objectives of the Film Policy. It will be a high-powered committee headed by an officer of the rank of Principal Secretary to the Government and comprise other senior officers, eminent personalities of the Film Industry and other related to the industry.
The JKFDC will create an ecosystem for making J&K a preferred destination for filming, build a well-strategized and focused branding of J&K in films and narratives surrounding the movies, facilitate overall growth of J&K Film Industry, take measures to promote film tourism in J&K through financial intervention and provide a mechanism for disbursement of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, create and develop ancillary business opportunities to co-exist with film making and support it and visualize the film industry from a value chain perspective and factor market dynamics that need to be addressed to be added to develop this sector.
“The JKFDC will create single point of contact to achieve objectives of the Film Policy, It shall be authorized to make and issue detailed guidelines, rules, checklist and all required formats and agreements etc essential to implement the Film Policy including guidelines for disbursement of subsidy and financial incentives,” as per the Policy document.
It stated that the Government will also constitute J&K Film Division under the Information and Public Relations Department for running the short/educational films made in J&K in the cinema houses and implementation of the Film Policy.
There will be a simple process for grant of permissions through a single-window mechanism to the production houses for film making in Jammu and Kashmir which will incentivize and boost domestic and international film production in the UT.
“The Single Window mechanism will be headed by the Chairman JKFDC. Film makers will have to apply online through the J&K Single Window portal by uploading all necessary documents. For permission of locations and script screening, two separate Appraisal Committees will be constituted. The Location Permission Committee will be headed by respective Divisional Commissioner while Script Screening Committee will be headed by an eminent person as Chairman and three members from the field of film making/script writing/art/culture or any relevant field related to the movie making and nominated by JKFDC.
The films produced to patronize the feeling of ‘One Nation, Best Nation’ (Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat) and on certain other themes as decided by the JKFDC in English and other languages of the country (excluding the films produced in regional languages of J&K), shooting of which has been carried out for a minimum half of their total shooting days in the UT, shall be given 50 percent of their cost of Rs 50 lakh whichever is less by way of subsidy.
Similarly, children and women empowerment related films will be given additional 25 percent financial assistance over and above the subsidy subject to maximum of Rs 50 lakh.
A special subsidy in the range between Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 cr will be given to J&K regional films that win international awards.
“Incentives/subsidies laid down in Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy 2021 will be applicable for creating/scaling-up of film related infrastructure in the UT such as setting up of cineplexes, multiplexes etc.
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