Sonowal interacts with film industry captains and top industry leaders in Mumbai

“Assam Government has recently formulated very attractive incentives and subsidies for film producers. The Government of Assam has committed to strongly work towards accelerating infrastructure support for film producers like accommodation, transport and roads,” Sonowal said with an invitation to the film producers for an assessment tour to Assam.

The film fraternity was represented by Producer and Director Subhash Ghai, Manmohan Shetty, Rahul Rawail, Jahnu Barua, Filmmaker from Assam, Manish Goswami, Vice President, Producer's Guild, Kulmit Makkad, CEO of Producers Guild, Pankuj Parashar, Producer and Director, Dipti Jindal, CEO, Sajid Nadiadwala, Hansal Mehta, Director, Sandeep Bhargava, CEO, Purple Pebble, Sunil Aggarwal, CEO of Yashraj, Nitin Ahuja Editor of Box Office, Vijay Verma, MD Post House Studio among the others from the film Industry took part in the interaction and held wide ranging discussions with the Chief Minister on the opportunities for film making in Assam. Subhash Ghai

Subhash Ghai, Producer, Mukta Arts, said he would like to set up a film institute in Assam, like Whistling Woods.

The film fraternity also spoke about changing the perception about Assam's Law and order situation.

The industry leaders suggested that Assam may consider constituting a film commission like Maharashtra. Suggestions were also given to also set up a film school, post production houses in Assam so people do not have to depend on Mumbai for Trained personnel.

Appreciating the suggestions made by the film fraternity, Sonowal said that the state government would actively consider the same for implementation.

He informed that the new incentives and subsidies include financial grant of 25% of cost incurred in Assam to Hindi, English or Foreign language Cinema makers who have produced minimum 5 feature films with country wide audience and minimum 25% of the entire shooting expenditure of the feature film in Assam subject to a maximum limit of Rs 1 crore.

The Assam CM further added that additional rebate of 10% for film having storyline on Assam's culture, tourism and heritage as well as for shooting more than 50% of the film in Assam are some of the incentives provided to the film makers.

He also informed that the producers who have produced minimum 10 films in Hindi, English or Foreign language will be provided free accommodation and transport for the costs incurred by them during the period of stay for shooting of films in Assam.

During the two days visit, Sonowal on Thursday held one on one meetings with top industrialists and invited them to invest in Assam with primary focus on agriculture and food processing, handloom, textile and handicraft, tourism, hospitality and wellness, plastics and petrochemicals, power, pharmaceutical and medical devices, heavy industries, inland water transport, port township and River front development and IT and ITeS, civil aviation, petroleum and natural gas.

The top industry leaders who met the chief minister included Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Essel Group Chairman, Subhash Chandra, and a number of other top industry leaders like the Mahindras and the Hinduja Group apart from top leadership of sectoral associations like the Plastic Manufacturers Association.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)