Even as a consultant is finalising a detailed report for setting up a National Centre for Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects, a high-level task force is dwelling upon various issues following an assurance by Information and Broadcasting Ministry earlier this year to give priority to this sector.

The Planning Commission has already allocated Rs 520 million under the 11th Plan period (2007-12) for the Centre, as the private sector has complained of a shortage in manpower in this sector which is growing at a fast rate. The Planning Commission wants this Centre to be on a public-private partnership.
 
The 13-member task force headed by I&B Additional Secretary Rajiv Takru set up recently will evolve a methodology to ensure the widest possible consultations on a 14-point charter in the terms of reference and submit its report within six months from the date of its first meeting, held earlier this month.

The Task Force includes Mahesh Samath (Walt Disney India), Ashish Kulkarni (Big Animation Reliance), Tapash Chakravarty (DQ Entertainment), Rajesh Rao (Dhruva Games), Vishal Gondal (UTV India Games), AK Madhavan (Crest Animation Studios), Jaspreet Bindra (Microsoft), Munjal Shroff (Graphiti Multimedia), S Nagarajan (Visual Computing Lab, Tata ELXSI), and Leena Jaisani (FICCI). The Director (Films) is the member secretary and the Joint Secretary (Films) DP Reddy is a member.
 
The committee will examine various aspects including existing co-production treaties and promoting the locally produced animation content in foreign markets. In keeping with a demand made early this year by Minister Ambika Soni to the Finance Ministry, the Task Force will examine the possibility of entertainment tax exemption for children and animation feature films for 10 years, service tax exemption to studios developing original contents, rationalized customs tariff for the  gaming  industry, promotion of indigenous  digital content education and entertainment for masses, and setting up of multiple parks for the sector on the SEZ model.

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