I&B Ministry
Efficient digital transition; MyGov.in pockets citizen engagement award
NEW DELHI: MyGov website has won the Platinum Award for the Most Innovative Citizen Engagement while the Online Management, Monitoring and Accounting System (OMMAS) for Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY) won the Gold Award.
The Silver Award was won by Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation. The Jury Choice was given to IT Initiatives of SimhasthKumbh, Ujjain.
Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad presented the first “Digital India Awards” as part of the Government’s ambitious programme of “Digital India” on its axiom of “Minimum Government and Maximum Governance”.
The awards are for those who facilitate the Government’s efforts to promote and uphold the use of World Wide Web for enhancing efficiency and transparency of Government Machinery and encouraging its speedy transition towards Digital India.
The first edition of the awards was organized by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the ambit of India Portal (http://india.gov.in).
Digital innovation along with E-Governance initiatives of Government Ministries and Departments across India were evaluated under various categories. Three awards Platinum, Gold and Silver were presented in each category to the winners shortlisted from the nominations received under each category.
The categories included Exemplary Online Service, Open Data Champion, Most Innovative Citizen Engagement, Outstanding Digital Initiative by Local body, Best Mobile App, Web Ratna – Ministry/ Department, Web Ratna – State/ UT, Web Ratna-District.
In the Outstanding Digital Initiative by Local Body Platinum Award was bagged by Surat Municipal Corporation, followed by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and Web and Mobile based Integrated Complaint Logging and Resolution Tracking System – Madurai Corporation winning the Gold and Silver award respectively.
The Jury Choice was given e-NagarSewaUP – Electronic Workflow based Reform for ULBs in Uttar Pradesh.
In the Exemplary Online Service Category Platinum Award was bagged by VYAS- VarnijYakar Automation System for Department of Commercial Taxes, Uttar Pradesh, followed by E-permit, Commercial tax department, Gujarat and One Stop Clearance System, Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion winning the Gold and Silver award respectively.
In the Open Data Champion Category Platinum Award was won by Office of the Registrar General, India. The Health and Family Welfare and Directorate of Marketing & Inspection won the Gold Award. The Silver award was bagged by the Rajya Sabha and National Crime Records Bureau.
For Best Mobile App, Citizen Cop Mobile App Chattisgarh won the Platinum Award. Mid-Day Meal Mobile App, Himachal Pradesh won the Gold Award. The Silver Award was won by GARV – GrameenVidyutikaran App Ministry of Power.
For Web Ratna – Ministry / Department category, the Platinum was bagged by Human Resource Development Ministry, Gold by Health & Family Welfare Ministry, and Silver by External Affairs Ministry.
For Web Ratna – State/ UT category the Platinum award has been won by Rajasthan followed by Tamil Nadu and Haryana in the Gold and Silver section respectively. For Web Ratna – District category the Platinum award has been won by Website of Collectorate, North Goa, followed by e-Governance friendly website & Initiatives of District Kupwara, J&K and district administration Udham Singh Nagar website, Uttarakhand in the Gold and Silver section respectively.
A Compendium for Digital India Awards 2016 was also released on this occasion. A comprehensive government services portal was also launched by the Shri P. P. Chaudhary on this occasion.
Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology P P Chaudhary; Electronics & Information Technology|(MeitY) Secretary Aruna Sundarrajan, Principal Scientific Advisor R Chidambaram; MeitY Additional Secretary Ajay Kumar, NIC DG Neeta Verma, and Senior officials from (MeitY), NIC, state and Central Senior dignitaries were also present.
Digital India Awards plays a major role in recognizing the noteworthy and sustainable initiatives in the realm of e-Governance for better delivery of information and services. At the same time Digital India Awards have re-established itself as an important platform to disseminate information about such path breaking initiatives, encouraging others to customize and replicate the successful solutions. The Awards through its unique initiative has contributed to the overall increase in quality and quantity of web presence of various government departments across the country. Most importantly, it has created an atmosphere for further innovation in the web based services sphere promoting and encouraging Government Departments/Ministries and States to come out with their best.
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
