PANAJI
Though, the BJP-led State government boasts about nurturing a thriving Film ecosystem in Goa by promoting the coastal State as film shooting destination and now proposing a Film City -- the government has turned deaf ears to the long pending demand of our local filmmakers as far as revival of the film finance scheme is concerned.
The scheme, which provided local filmmakers with an upper limit of Rs 50 lakh, has been lying dormant since 2017 after initiatives were taken to have it redrafted. The scheme, initially launched by then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat way back in 2011, with a Rs 25 lakh limit- was revived in November 2016 by Laxmikant Parsekar government, before it was abruptly discontinued by Pramod Sawant government in 2017.
Goa Scheme of Financial Assistance for Films is a specially formulated scheme by the Government for giving Financial Assistance for production of Feature Films in Konkani and Marathi and Non-Feature Films including Short Films and Documentaries in Konkani, Marathi, English and Hindi by Goan producers.
“It was an initiative taken to boost the image of the State of Goa in the film world, also the scheme would help struggling filmmakers from Goa to cover at least their production costs and encourage more producers to make local films. However, the scheme has been dormant since 2017, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant taking no interest for its revival,” actor Rajdeep Naik said in a video released by him appealing the government to revive the scheme on urgent basis.
According to the government sources, there is no official notification discontinuing the scheme; however, no benefits are provided since 2017.
As per the information, nine Goan films had availed the film finance scheme between 2011 and 2015 and another eight during 2016 and 2017. The entertainment society of Goa (ESG) was the nodal agency for implementing the scheme.
According to the scheme, for Feature films (Konkani & Marathi), a grant of Rs 50 lakhs for A category, 30 lakhs for B category and Rs. 10 lakhs for C category or 50% of the total expenditure or whichever is less was granted.
Similarly for Non Feature films (Konkani, Marathi, Hindi and English), a grant of 10 lakhs for A category, 5 lakhs for B category and Rs. 3 lakhs for C category or 50% of the total expenditure or whichever is less was granted.
