I&B Ministry
President Pranab Mukherjee outlines Govt’s policy initiatives in electronic media & IT
NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee has said that the government is committed to deeper penetration of electronic media in remote and distant areas. In his address to the joint sitting of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session, he said auctions will be conducted for 135 vacant channels in 69 existing cities of FM Phase-II as part of first batch of FM Phase-Ill.
In an hour-long speech that outlined the policies of the government, he said that this would also facilitate migration of FM Phase-II to FM Phase-Ill.
Mukherjee said that this will take private FM radio to cities having population of more than 100,000 and border towns of Jammu and Kashmir, North-eastern region and island territories in a phased manner.
He said the government had envisioned an ambitious umbrella programme, Digital India, to prepare the country for technology based transformation and citizen centric transparent governance with service orientation. Aadhar based attendance system and Jeevan Praman, Aadhar based Digital Life Certificate Portal, had shown that innovative use of technology can make enormous difference.
Measures were being taken to accomplish digital inclusion in rural areas, small towns, north-east and other remote areas, opening up immense job opportunities in these areas. Promoting manufacturing of electronic goods has been an area of thrust, he added.
According to him, the government was committed to using space technology and its applications in governance, social and economic development and resource management. A satellite was to be launched shortly for the use of SAARC countries to foster greater partnership and development of South Asian Region.
In this context, he referred to Mangalyaan, which had been placed in the Mars Orbit on 24 September, 2014, making India the first country to do so in the first attempt. The country also successfully launched the first experimental flight of GSLV Mark-Ill on 19 December, 2014, which will enable launch of heavier satellites in the near future.
The Government had taken major initiatives for improving ‘Ease of Doing Business’ through simplification and rationalization of existing rules and procedures, Mukherjee said. Leveraging IT and use of modern technologies is a key strategy. Single window in a Hub-Spoke model is being made a reality.
He said Maximum Governance, Minimum Government was the guiding principle and with an aim to take governance to the doorstep of the poorest of the poor in remotest areas, focus is on simplification of official procedures and reducing the decision-making levels in government by leveraging technology. The system of Group of Ministers has been dispensed with, and emphasis is on swift decision-making. While introducing stricter and sterner measures to deal with corruption; effort is being made to ensure that sufficient safeguards are in place to protect bona fide decisions taken in public interest and to inspire confidence in the civil service.
The government was firmly committed to engage people in the process of governance and policy-making. A new initiative My Gov Online Platform has been launched. This platform has ensured public participation in decision-making and ideation of various national flagship programmes like Swachh Bharat Mission, Namami Gange, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and NITI Aayog.
The Government had formulated the National Sports Talent Search Scheme for encouraging sporting talent amongst children in the age group of 8 to 12 through National Sports Development Fund and Target Olympic Podium.
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.
