I&B Ministry
Govt earns Rs 7.41 crore as processing fee from applicant MSOs
NEW DELHI: The Government has collected a sum of Rs 7.41 crore during the last three years until 27 January, 2015 from Multi System Operators (MSOs) for providing digital addressable Cable TV service in the country.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) collects Rs 1 lakh from each applicant as processing fee at the time of submission of application for registration of MSOs.
It received Rs 3 lakh in 2011-12, Rs 1.80 crore in 2012-13; Rs 79 lakh in 2013-14; and Rs 79 lakh in 2015 (up to 27 January).
Ministry sources told Indiantelevision.com that some of the States have levied entertainment tax on cable services, which is collected directly by the concerned State Governments. In addition, cable operators are also required to pay service tax and any other applicable taxes to the Central Government.
However, the MIB does not maintain any information relating to collection of these taxes.
I&B Ministry
Government proposes scrapping film certification fast-track scheme
Priority route may be dropped to end queue-jumping and restore fairness
NEW DELHI: The government is set to press pause on the fast lane for film certification. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed scrapping the Priority Scheme under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, a move that could end the practice of paying extra to move a film ahead in the queue.
In a public notice issued on 16 February, the ministry invited stakeholder comments on the proposal, with the consultation window open until 17 March.
The Priority Scheme, introduced in 2024, allowed filmmakers to request expedited certification by paying three times the standard examination fee. Under the rules, priority applications could be slotted ahead of regular submissions, effectively reshuffling the order of scrutiny.
What began as a provision for exceptional urgency, the ministry says, has gradually become business as usual. The result has been longer waits for films in the regular queue and concerns about fairness in what is meant to be a statutory, rule-based process.
Officials have flagged the risk of a two-tier system, where producers with deeper pockets could buy speed while smaller or independent filmmakers were left waiting their turn. The proposed amendment aims to remove that imbalance by restoring a single, orderly queue for all applicants.
If approved, the changes would remove the rule that permits priority screening upon payment of higher fees, as well as the provision that allows regional officers to alter the order of examination based on such requests. In effect, every film would move through certification strictly according to its place in line, unless a separate exceptional mechanism is introduced later.
For big-budget producers, the shift may mean factoring in longer lead times before release. Marketing campaigns, festival slots and box office calendars that once relied on a quick certification turnaround may need more careful planning.
Independent filmmakers, on the other hand, could find the playing field a little more level. Without a pay-to-fast-forward option, the queue may become slower for some, but fairer for all.
The government says the move is meant to restore equity, improve predictability and strengthen the integrity of the certification process. Whether removing the fast-track option reduces bottlenecks or simply redistributes the delays will depend on how efficiently the regular pipeline is managed in the months ahead.
