PANAJI: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Monday said that every section of the Indian film industry will reap the benefits of the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, besides elimination of black money, if any from the transactions linked to this industry. “In fact, the Indian film fraternity, from the day it was accorded the status of an industry, has been operating through legalised transactions by way of cheques for making payments as well as availing loans from banks,” he added, pointing out that the trend of so-called use of black money in the production of Indian films of yesteryears, no more exists, and is now a thing of the past.
Speaking to the media, Rathore, who earlier visited a multimedia exhibition titled ‘Azadi 70 Saal: Yaad Karo Kurbani’ put up by the National Film Archive of India at the venue of the ongoing International Film Festival of India said that more transparency is expected to come into the funding of the films, due to which the good cinema, the quality cinema would receive adequate support as well as the much needed boost.
Rathore also maintained that the members of the film industry, working at the lower level of the ladder such as spot boys, studio workers, etc, would be largely benefited due to the demonetisation decision of the central government as they would now not only receive their salary directly into their account, but also enjoy other facilities like insurance and so on.
“Most of the audiences also prefer to purchase their cinema tickets online, which is already a step towards cashless transaction,” he observed, hoping that the film industry would support this endeavour.
Speaking about the recent meeting held in the city and attended by himself, along with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as well as the bankers in the state in order to discuss the possibility of Goa going cashless from next year, Rathore said that Goa has resolved to be the first state in India to do so, and has set up the December 30, 2016 deadline for the same.
“This is a positive step, which would need effort on the part of one and all, and the state government committed to this task is working in the particular direction,” he maintained, noting that he is happy to see the citizens of Goa in general, and the local traders as well bankers, in particular participating in this mission wholeheartedly.
Speaking about the support of the Centre to the state government for the proposed IFFI-related infrastructure, Rathore said the central government is totally supporting the state government in this respect. “In fact, both governments desire that the standard of the International Film Festival of India being held in Goa needs to be further raised,” he stated, pointing out that if the particular film festival is linked to the status of Goa being a popular tourist destination, then it would be icing on the cake, for which the Union government would extending every help.
The Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, pooh-poohed the decision of the Opposition parties to observed November 28 as the ‘Jan Aakrosh Diwas’ to protest against the Centre’s demonetisation move.
“The people of the country have welcomed and are supporting this move, while few others still believe in the old-world financial exercise, which supported parallel economy so much detrimental to the country,” Rathore noted, adding that these people in the Opposition had earlier given a call for ‘Bharat Bandh’, but failing to garner public support for the same, changed it to ‘Jan Aakrosh Diwas’.
“But then, these people are anyway displaying their aakrosh or angst in the Parliament, instead of debating and discussing the issue,” he quipped.