Himachal Cabinet clears film policy to attract investment, create jobs

Tribune News Service

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, January 12

The Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, today approved the Himachal Pradesh Film Policy, 2024, to facilitate the shooting of films and documentaries at various beautiful locations in the state.

The government proposed to set up a film facilitation cell in the Information and Public Relations Department that would work as a single-window mechanism for granting all permissions relating to film shooting through a dedicated web portal. Local bodies or the district administration would grant permission online within seven working days.

The film facilitation cell would act as a point for film producers and assist them in obtaining requisite permissions, disseminating information on shooting locations and facilitate production and post-production in the state. The main objectives spelt out in the policy included developing Himachal as a favourite destination for film production and to disseminate information about the culture, history, heritage and captivating unexplored places in the state.

The government also plans to organise film festivals. The film policy would help generate employment opportunities, attract additional capital investment through the film industry and develop all-weather locales in the state for film shooting.

The government would encourage private companies to set up production houses so as to make available equipment on rent to film-makers. The film facilitation cell would maintain a list of professional equipment available with private production houses and it would be available on the web portal.

A state-level film development council would be set up for the development of the film industry. The government would create a film development fund and the facilitation fee charged from film-makers would be deposited in it.

It decided to grant maternity leave for 180 days under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1962, to women cook-cum-helper with less than two surviving children in the Education Department.

The Cabinet also decided to fill 40 posts of Junior Engineer (Civil) and 25 posts of Junior Technician (Work inspector) in the PWD, 20 posts of Work Inspector in the Jal Shakti Department, seven posts in the Revenue Training Institute at Jogindernagar in Mandi and five posts in the Sainik Welfare Department.

Widows, single women to get Rs 1.5 lakh for construction of houses

• The Cabinet gave in-principle approval to the draft of the Mukhyamantri Vidhva Avam Ekal Nari Awas Yojana-2023 to provide a Rs 1.50 lakh financial assistance to widows and single women for the construction of houses
• It also gave nod to the Annual Period Based Guest Teachers Scheme in the Elementary and Higher Education departments to enhance educational standards in the state
• The Cabinet decided to increase the marriageable age of girls from 18 years to 21 years and carry out necessary amendments to the Acts and rules
• It agreed to give relaxation of six months in age to children seeking admission to Class I in primary schools
• The Cabinet gave approval for signing an MoU for consultancy services from the National Dairy Development Board for the establishment of an automated 1.50 lakh litre per day, expandable up to 3 lakh litre per day, milk processing plant with value-added products at Dhagwar in Kangra district
• It also gave approval to the development, operation and maintenance of a ropeway from the Nature Park, Mohal, to the Bijli Mahadev temple in Kullu district
• The Centre and the state will share the profit from the project in 50:50 ratio

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