NEW DELHI: A bill is to be introduced in Parliament shortly to enable the Film and Television Institute of India – which is marking its 50th year – to become a Centre of Excellence, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said today.

This recognition would enable the Institute to foster creative ideas and also enjoy the academic status and privileges of a University. It would also help students pursue higher studies and research in India and overseas. This measure would enable the FTII to draw a road map to address the growing needs of the media and entertainment industry.

Addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Members of Parliament at Pune here today, Soni said a Group of Experts has already prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed upgradation of the FTII. The DPR broadly contains recommendations for revitalisation of the courses being offered by the Institute. It also envisages enhancing the infrastructure of the Institute.

 
The DPR will be considered by the Governing Council of the Institute which is meeting on 6 July. The Minister stated that this could constitute the Vision Statement of the Institute.

Soni informed the Members that the Planning Commission recently approved the Rs 6.6 billion allocation for setting up the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM). The Mission envisages digitisation of film heritage of the country preserved by Departments like the National Film Archives of India (NFAI), the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the Films Division (FD), the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), and the Children Film Society of India (CFSI).

During the discussions, MPs endorsed the vision statement made by FTII Chairman Saeed Mirza. The Members were of the view that FTII should reach out to remote areas to tap talents available there. For this purpose, it was proposed to hold mobile short term courses in critical aspects of filmmaking.

In this context, Soni said this proposal is in sync with the outreach strategy being adopted by the Ministry with respect to opening of four regional centres of the Indian Institute of Mass Communications at Jammu, Aizawl, Amravati, and Kerala. The Minister also informed that a similar strategy was being adopted by the Directorate of Film Festivals, by taking the national award winning films to different parts of the country through its mini Film Festivals.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting S Jagatrakshakan, Members of Parliament Shyam Benegal, Shatrughan Sinha, Bharat Kumar Raut, Dr. Anup Kumar Saha, Anil Madhav Dave, Tapas Paul, Ms Ranee Narah, M P Achutan, and Mohammed. Adeeb were present.