I&B Ministry
House panel goads changes in film certification, notes under-utilisation of CBFC funds
NEW DELHI: There is an urgent need to revise the guidelines/Acts/Rules relating to Cinematograph Act 1952 and Cinematograph Certification Rules 1983 in the light of Shyam Benegal Committee Report in view of the increase in number of films, short films, advertisements, documentation being submitted for certification and consequent increase in number of court cases.
A Parliamentary Committee has said that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry should make its stand clear and initiate the process of bringing amendments in the existing Acts and Rules through involvement of stakeholders.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology which also examines issues relating to MIB said apart from the recommendations of the Shyam Benegal Committee, the Government had not taken any decision on the suggestions of the Parliamentary Committee.
The Committee of Experts under filmmaker Shyam Benegal had been constituted in January 2016 to evolve broad guidelines/procedures for certification of films within the ambit of provision of Cinematograph Act 1952 and Cinematograph (Certificate) Rules 1983 and it had submitted its Report in June 2016.
The Parliamentary Committee had also submitted revised guidelines and revised Rules which are being examined by the Ministry.
The Ministry told the Committee that the recommendations of the Committee require amendments in Acts/Rules and so require further consultation.
The Committee has been given to understand that the workload of CBFC has increased significantly. There is also a considerable increase in the number of court cases being filed in connection with film certification. The Ministry has issued administrative sanction for two legal consultants one each in Delhi and Mumbai for handling the legal cases of CBFC.
Meanwhile, the Committee said that the Ministry spent only Rs 20.3 million on upgradation, modernisation and expansion of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and Certification Process up to 31 January 2017 out of a total revised amount of Rs 35.1 million against the budget amount of Rs 40 million.
With regard to activities undertaken during 2016-17, the Ministry said the work of online certification has been awarded with pre-determined milestone set to be completed by March 2017 and the entire fund available was likely to be utilized by March, 2017.
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.
