Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 31:
The president of the All Manipur Film Producers Association Nilamani today accused the Manipur Film Development Corporation of undermining the Manipuri film producers.
Speaking to media persons at the VIP lounge of the State Guest House today, the Nilamani said that the MFDC has not granted any subsidy to the film producers throwing the producers to great peril.
The situation is such it may not be possible to produce films any longer, he said.
Even though the Government has announced that the MFDC would give a grant of Rs 40 thousand; for black and white films and Rs 1 lakh for a colour film, so far the MFDC has not advanced any amount, said Nilamani.
The president further said they had asked the Government to increase the subsidy to Rs 3 lakhs as in other States or to refund the amusement tax levied at the cinema halls to the producers.
However the Government has been sleeping over the proposal of the producers, he lamented.
Instead of providing adequate subsidy the Government charges 20 paise as surcharged per cinema ticket and rakes in around Rs 2/3 lakhs annually, he continued.
The MFDC has also been able to provide the machineries needed for filming a film and the producers have to hire materials from outside the State causing loss of revenue, the producers rued.
Many reminders to the MFDC to this effect have gone in vain, Nilamani informed.
The Government too has not yielded to the proposals to adopt a film policy to nurture the promising and budding talents, said the producers.