I&B Ministry
Centre ready to accept proposals from states to encourage film tourism
NEW DELHI: A proposal of the Chhattisgarh Government, ‘Producing Tourism Documentary Film and TV Commercials’, has been prioritised by the Tourism Ministry for grant of Central Financial Assistance (CFA) during the financial year 2014-15.
Culture and Tourism Minister Shripad Yesso Naik told Parliament that the Ministry has recognised films as a powerful tool for promotion of tourism destinations and locations and has taken several steps to promote Film Tourism as an important Niche Tourism product.
The Ministry formulated guidelines for extending financial support to various State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations, for promotion of Film Tourism.
Under these guidelines, Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of Rs 2 lakh per film can be extended for a maximum of five films which include Feature Films, Documentaries, Tele-films and Television Serials during each financial year to every State Government/UT Administration. The CFA is granted for meeting the costs of space hiring/filming charges, facilitation fee etc. payable by the Filming Unit to the State Governments, UT Administrations, Government agencies etc.
The films for CFA are selected based on the potential exposure they can provide for promotion of tourism destinations and locations. These guidelines have been circulated to all State Governments/UT Administrations and have been uploaded on the official website of the Ministry of Tourism.
The Information and Broadcasting and the Tourism Ministries had signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2012 to establish India as a preferred filming destination and promote Film Tourism. The aim is to promote Cinema of India as a sub brand of “Incredible India” at various international film festivals and markets abroad, develop synergy between tourism and the film industry and provide a platform for enabling partnerships between the Indian and global film industry.
The Ministries jointly participated in the Cannes Film Festival and Market, International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa and Film Bazaar, Goa in 2013-14.
In January 2012, the then Tourism Minister wrote to the Chief Ministers of various State Governments/Administrators of various UT Administrations to recognise the potential of Film Tourism and constitute special bodies/cells to facilitate filming in the States/Union Territories.
The Tourism Ministry instituted a National Tourism Award in 2012, “Most Film Promotion Friendly State/UT”, to encourage the State Governments and Union Territories to facilitate filming in their State/UT.
I&B Ministry
Government sets up AI governance group to steer policy
AIGEG to align ministries, assess jobs impact, guide AI deployment.
MUMBAI: If artificial intelligence is the engine, the government is now building the dashboard and making sure everyone reads from the same screen. The Centre has constituted a new inter-ministerial body to coordinate India’s approach to AI, formalising a key recommendation from its governance framework and the Economic Survey. The AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will act as the central platform to align AI-related policy across ministries, regulators and departments, an attempt to bring coherence to what has so far been a fragmented and fast-evolving landscape.
The group will be chaired by union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, with minister of state Jitin Prasada as vice chairperson. Its composition reflects both technological and economic priorities, bringing together the principal scientific adviser, the chief economic adviser, and the CEO of NITI Aayog, alongside key secretaries from telecommunications, economic affairs and science and technology. A representative from the National Security Council Secretariat is also part of the group, while the MeitY secretary will serve as member convenor.
At its core, AIGEG is designed to do two things: coordinate and anticipate. On the policy front, it will review existing regulatory mechanisms, issue guidance across sectors and ensure companies remain compliant with evolving legal frameworks. Beyond that, it will oversee national initiatives on AI governance, with a focus on enabling responsible innovation rather than merely regulating it.
The economic dimension is equally central. The group has been tasked with assessing how AI-driven automation could reshape jobs identifying which roles are most at risk, where those impacts may be geographically concentrated, and whether technology will augment or replace human labour. Based on these assessments, it will develop mitigation strategies and transition plans, signalling a more proactive stance on workforce disruption.
In parallel, AIGEG will work with industry stakeholders to chart a long-term roadmap for AI adoption, categorising use cases into “deploy”, “pilot” or “defer” buckets depending on readiness factors such as data availability, skill levels and regulatory clarity. The aim is to move from broad ambition to structured execution deciding not just what can be built, but what should be built now.
The group will function as the apex layer in India’s AI governance architecture, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee that will track global developments, emerging risks and regulatory priorities. Together, the two bodies are expected to shape both the pace and direction of AI adoption in the country.
In a landscape where technology often outruns policy, the creation of AIGEG signals an attempt to close that gap ensuring that India’s AI journey is not just rapid, but also coordinated, accountable and economically grounded.
