New Delhi, December 05 2009: Manipur Government requested the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to look into the survival of Manipuri cinema by extending a special package from the central government.

In the 27th State Information Ministers Conference (SIMCON) held today at Vigyan Bhawan here which was chaired by the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Ambika Soni, the Manipur Government informed the Conference that Manipur was the only State in the country producing films on Mongoloid features.

The very first Manipuri feature - Matamgi Manipur made in 1972 bagged the National Film Award in 1973 .

Since then, 11 Manipuri feature films received the National Film awards and seven Manipuri feature films were selected for Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India.

It was also highlighted that Aribam Syam Sharma's Imagi Ningthem (My Son, My Precious) was the first Indian film which received the Grand Prix in the Nantes International Film Festival, France in 1982.Another feature filmIshanou (The Chosen One) was made official selection from India in the Cannes International Film Festival, france in 1991.Numerous non-feature films made in Manipur won international awards in many international film festivals.

Indian cinema would be incomplete without Manipuri cinema as the production of film is expensive, the talented film makers of Manipur could not find producers to make Manipuri films, it added.

In the Conference, the State Government mentioned that in view of high expenditure in the production of Manipuri films as well as the militants' threat on the exhibition of Hindi films since the year 2000, all the cinema halls in Manipur stopped screening of celluloid films.

In its place, Manipuri Video films were being screened at all the cinema halls in Manipur.

In the broadcasting sector, the State Government demanded opening of a separate Doordarshan satellite channel for Manipur so as to counter foreign media, enhance sense of integration, communal harmony and belongingness in the Indian mainstream.

Allocation of more funds to the Doordarshan Kendra Imphal for production of programmes and allotment of an EFP/OB van were also highlighted in the State's proposal.

Upgradation of the Song & Drama Division, Imphal Centre which covered four border States namely Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur to a Regional Centre with sufficient infrastructure and the upgradation of the Press Information bureau, Imphal to the status of a sub-regional centre with independent financial allocation were also projected in the State's proposal.

Commissioner (Information), Government of Manipur P.Bharat Singh IAS, attended the Conference representing Manipur government.

In her inaugural address, the Union Minister Ambika Soni said that over the years SIMCON attempted to discuss and evolve appropriate policy initiatives to address the changing information landscape of the country.

She pointed out that bringing about amendments to the Press and Registration of Books Act by March 2010 was high on the agenda of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Timely de-registration of titles that were not published and prevented blocking of titles thereby discouraging non serious publishers, a statutory provision for circulation verification were among the key amendments proposed, she added.

Highlighting that Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had to act as a catalyst for ensuring growth and development by providing information to the doorsteps of the people, Ambika Soni said, "The responsibility given to the Ministry is extremely complex, as India today is a diverse society wherein on the one hand we are subjected to information which requires mature handling and on the other hand some segments face dearth of information relevant to their daily requirements".

"It is the right of each citizen to be provided quality information on issues concerning them," she reminded the forum.

Addressing the Conference, Chairman of Press Council of India, Justice G N Ray said that a regulatory framework that will promote self regulation, in particularly the electronic media, should be developed.

The States and the experts were also in agreement for introduction of an autonomous and credible Broadcasting Authority for broadcasting services though highlighting that regulation can be double-edged in democracy.

Comment