I&B Ministry
Over Rs 400 crore spent on Bharat Nirman campaign in three years
NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) spent a total amount of Rs 411.91 crore between 2011-12 and 2014-15 through the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to publicise Bharat Nirmal programmes.
The amount spent in 2014-15 was only Rs 32.23 crore as against Rs 188.88 crore for the previous year. The amount spent in 2011-12 was Rs 87.78 crore and that in 2012-13 was Rs 103.02 crore.
I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha today that there was no plan at present to undertake any campaign under the umbrella of Bharat Nirman.
The promotion through I&B Ministry was part of the media outreach strategy under the plan sub-scheme titled “People’s Empowerment through Development Communication Conception and Dissemination” by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity.
While a sum of Rs 48 crore was spent covering 6444 newspapers and Rs 96.19 crore was spent on 125 television channels in 2013-14, no campaign was launched in 2014-15 as the Model Conduct had come into force in view of the General Elections in May.
I&B Ministry sources said that the amount of Rs 32.23 crore for 2014-15 related to old bills.
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.
