I&B Ministry
Prasad produces performance report card at the Rajya Sabha
NEW DELHI: The government has taken several initiatives to bring about changes in the entertainment sector in the interest of the overall development of this sector.
Access to institutional and bank financing has been facilitated for the entertainment industry, including films, foreign direct investment policy for the film sector has been liberalised and international visibility has been afforded to Indian films by participation in global markets.
This was stated by I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Indian parliament).
Apart from these, in order to suggest a policy framework for the entertainment industry, both at the centre and the States, a committee for development of the entertainment sector has been set up.
The committee had given its first set of recommendations which, including a recommendation to fix a ceiling of 60 per cent on entertainment tax, were circulated among the States and many State Governments have lowered their entertainment tax rates. An anti piracy training programme was also organised for police officers based on the recommendations of the committee, which is expected to be the precursor of many such training programmes.
In its recent meetings, the committee has made recommendations, mainly relating to a further reduction in entertainment tax rates, appointment of a nodal officer in each State assisting in anti-piracy matters and facilitating a single point clearance by State Governments for foreign film crews shooting in India. The second set of recommendations of the committee have also been persuasively circulated to state governments.
In order to bring about a receptive investment regime in the entertainment sector, within India, a committee has recently been set up to suggest a strategy to facilitate the flow of venture capital into the sector, the minister said.
The government had also constituted a committee to make recommendations for radio broadcasting. The executive summary of this committee’s report may be seen on the ministry’s website at www.mib.nic.in.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
