NEW DELHI, Aug 5: Picture postcard Meghalaya can leverage the ‘India Cine Hub’ portal for filmmaking with a revamped and unified single-window system, offering streamlined access to filmmaking permissions and services across India.
With GIS features and common forms, the portal supports ease of doing business and showcases India’s film-friendly policies, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan said on Tuesday.
He was speaking at a high-level conference with State and Union Territory Information & Public Relations (I&PR) Secretaries in New Delhi.
The Meghalaya government has already come out with the “Film Tourism Policy 2025” which will position the state as a preferred destination for film tourism and creative production. The policy provides financial incentives, institutional support, promotes local talent and generates employment.
Stating that grassroots cinema initiatives empower women and local communities through low-cost theatres, Murugan highlighted the role of global events such as World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), and International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in showcasing India’s creative talent, boosting creative economy, promoting cultural diplomacy and empowering creative minds of tomorrow.
The Minister laid emphasis on the recently launched Indian Institute of Creative Technology that aims to skill youth in animation, gaming, music and other creative fields.
The conference aimed to strengthen Centre-state coordination in public communication, ensure full-scale implementation and functionality of Press Sewa Portal and India Cine Hub, and explore collaborative opportunities for developing film infrastructure and promoting India’s creative economy across regions.
During the event, I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju emphasised the vital role of Centre-state collaboration in effective communication and media development. He highlighted the rise of digital creators, vernacular media and the need to empower district-level I&PR setups.
Jaju urged all states to integrate with the Press Sewa Portal for smoother publication processes and flagged concerns over disjointed responsibilities in media departments. He highlighted the economic potential of cinema and content creation, stressing the need to expand beyond metros and support local talent.
Initiatives like India Cine Hub were introduced to promote filmmaking and enable creators to monetise content.
Jaju termed WAVES a global movement and announced plans for a radio conclave during IFFI in Goa to deepen dialogue and cooperation across the media ecosystem.
One of the major focus areas of the conference was sensitisation and onboarding of the concerned officers of the states and the UTs on the Press Sewa Portal. Developed by the Press Registrar General of India, the portal is a single-window digital platform that facilitates registration and compliance processes related to periodicals.
Another highlight was the emphasis on revamped India Cine Hub portal that went live last year. This portal now functions as a single-window system for film-related facilitation across India, offering integrated access to filming permissions, incentives, and resource mapping at the central, state and local levels.
The India Cine Hub portal supported GIS-based location mapping, crowd-sourced content from industry professionals, and differentiated workflows for filming, non-filming, and incentives. The conference discussed processing of applications and contributing verified data to improve India’s appeal as a global filming destination.
The promotion of low-cost cinema halls in underserved areas was also discussed. Despite India being one of the highest producers of films globally, access to cinema infrastructure remained uneven. The Ministry proposed the development of modular and mobile cinema models to serve Tier-3 and Tier-4 towns, rural regions, and aspirational districts.
The conference discussed how to identify low screen density zones using GIS mapping, repurpose existing public infrastructure, streamline licencing through single-window systems, and offer tax and land policy incentives to attract private investment in affordable cinema infrastructure.
Participation in major film and content platforms like IFFI and WAVES Bazaar also featured in the deliberations. The states and the UTs were encouraged to use these platforms to showcase their filming locations, promote regional incentives, and support local talent.
Another major area of discussion was the development of India’s live entertainment economy. The conference deliberated with states on utilising existing sports and cultural infrastructure for events, integrating permission workflows into the India Cine Hub, appointing nodal officers, and establishing policy and fiscal support for investment in live entertainment infrastructure.
