MFDC kept under Art & Culture Dept
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 10 2014 :
Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC), which has remained as a corporation registered under the Company Act since its establishment in 1980 has been converted into a society by a cabinet decision on October 9 .
Due to government apathy towards its functioning and because of its inability to repay loans, the MFDC remained defunct for the last 3 years following the cancellation of its registration under the company act.
MFDC, which was set up in 1980 under the State Government's Additional Director (Publicity) to take a pivotal role in the development of film industry in the state, remained defunct since then.
The state government has taken the decision for conversion of the corporation into a society to pave way for state funding, as the cancellation of registration posed a hindrance to accept funding from state government.
The state cabinet also decided to make the Chief Minister and the Art and Culture Minister as the Chairman and Vice-chairman of the proposed Executive Board of the Society which will include 3 film personalities as well.
Supporting the government move, Managing Director of MFDC Dr..KSobita told this Daily that as the Corporation has been converted into a Society, it can well receive the grant-in-aid from the state government.
She expressed optimism that the newly mooted Society will be able to achieve significantly as the state government is likely to provide funding to the tune of Rs.50 lakhs annually.
On the other hand, numerous film enthusiasts of the state have condemned the conversion move of the state government, saying that the Corporation has been degraded by its alteration into a Society.
It will have an adverse impact in the way of films development in Manipur, they observed.
As told by the noted personalities, most state governments and the central government entrust the film development initiatives to corporations, and do not form Societies.
After all, to keep the MFDC under the ambit of state Art and Culture department is unreasonable, they maintained, while claiming that state Art and Culture department does not have professionals who are well conversed in films.
The Corporation, in the beginning, was under the Information and Publicity department which has its own branch of cinema.
Even the Central government assigns the film related activities to the Information and Broadcasting department, they pointed out.
Taking strong exception against the government decision of entrusting film development works to a Society, the film personalities lamented that certain circles have instigated and misguided the government to effect the conversion.