Dec 28: The Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) Task Force has called for a National AVGC-XR Mission with a budget outlay to be created for integrated promotion and growth of the AVGC sector. In a detailed report submitted to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Task Force headed by Secretary I&B has also recommended launching a “Create in India” campaign with an exclusive focus on content creation “in India, for India, and the world.”
The Task Force’s main recommendations are broadly classified into four categories, as follows:
Domestic Industry Development for Global Access: A National AVGC-XR Mission with a budget outlay to be created for integrated promotion & growth of the AVGC sector.
launch of a “Create in India” campaign with an exclusive focus on content creation “in India, for India, and the world!”
To make India the global hub for AVGC, institute an international AVGC platform (along with a gaming expo) with a focus on FDI, co-production treaties, and innovation.
Establish a National Center of Excellence (COE) for the AVGC sector to become an international reference point across skills, education, industry development, and research and innovation for the AVGC sector. Regional CEOs will be instituted in collaboration with the state governments to provide access to local industries and promote local talent and content.
Developing a talent ecosystem to realise demographic dividends average NEP to develop creative thinking with dedicated AVGC course content at school levels, to build foundational skills, and to create awareness about AVGC as a career choice.
Launch AVGC-focused UG and PG courses with a standard curriculum and globally recognised degrees. Standardize admission tests for AVGC-related courses (viz., MECAT by MESC).
With an eye on the demand for 20 lakh skilled professionals in the AVGC sector in this decade, augment skilling initiatives for the AVGC sector under MESC. Enhance industry participation to ensure employment opportunities and absorption for students from non-metropolitan cities and NE states.
Establish AVGC accelerators and innovation hubs in academic institutions, along the lines of Atal Tinkering Labs.
Enhancing Technology and Financial Viability for the Indian AVGC IndustryDemocratize AVGC technologies by promoting subscription-based pricing models for MSMEs, start-ups, and institutions.
made in India for AVGC technologies through incentive schemes for R&D and IP creation. Evaluate the PLI scheme to incentivize AVGC hardware manufacturers.
Enhanced Ease of Doing Business in the AVGC Sector, i.e., tax benefits, import duties, curbing piracy, etc.
Leverage Start-Up India to provide technical, financial, and market access assistance to AVGC entrepreneurs to promote a culture of R&D and local IP creation.
Raising India’s soft power through inclusive growthEstablish a dedicated production fund for domestic content creation from across India to promote Indian culture and heritage globally. evaluate the reservation for high-quality indigenous content by broadcasters.
For an inclusive India, target skilling and industry outreach for youth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns and villages in India. Establish special incentives for women entrepreneurs in the AVGC sector.
Promote local children’s channels for raising awareness about the rich culture and history of India among children and youth.
Establish a framework to ensure child rights protection in the digital world.
AVGC Task Force was constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of I & B, Shri Apurva Chandra, to help realise the full potential of the AVGC sector in India, with key stakeholders from the industry and the government. Secretaries of associated union ministries viz. MSDE, Department of Higher Education- MoE, MeITY & DPIIT were members of this Task Force. It also included members from the state governments of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana; heads of education bodies such as the All India Council for Technical Education and the National Council for Educational Research and Training; and representatives of industry bodies such as MESC, FICCI, and CII.
Further, the Task Force had key industry leaders of the AVGC Sector as members, viz. Shri Biren Ghosh, Country Head, Technicolor India; Shri Ashish Kulkarni, Founder, Punaryug Artvision Pvt. Ltd.; Shri Jesh Krishna Murthy, Founder and CEO, Anibrain; Shri Keitan Yadav, COO and VFX Producer, Redchillies VFX; Shri Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Chief Technology Officer, Whistling Woods International; Shri Kishore Kichili, Sr. Vice President and Country Head, Zynga India; and Shri Neeraj Roy, Managing Director, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment
Four sub-task forces were constituted for devising strategies of growth through targeted interventions in their respective areas, a) industry and policy, headed by Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary MOIB; b) education, headed by Shri Anil Shahashrabudhe, then Chairperson AICTE; c) skills, headed by Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, then Secretary MoSDE; and d) gaming, headed by Shri Vikram Sahay, JS MOIB. Their recommendations have formed the basis of the consolidated report of the Task Force.
The Union Budget had announced the constitution of a Taskforce on AVGC to identify interventions to build domestic capacity for serving our markets and the global demand.
The Task Force is an effort to realise the Prime Minister’s vision that the AVCG-XR sector can provide immense employment opportunities to the youth who can serve the global market and that Indian talent can lead the way in this sector.
The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, has identified that the AVGC sector can serve as a major growth driver for the M&E industry in India and emphasised that beyond the high economic impact of the growth of this sector, the sector also has the potential to better disseminate and promote Indian culture to the world, connect the Indian diaspora more strongly to India, generate direct and indirect quality employment, and benefit tourism and other allied industries.
The detailed report can be accessed on the website of the Ministry of I&B.
https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/AVGC-XR%20Promotion%20Taskforce%20Report%20-%202022.pdf
Draft Model State Policy for the AVGC-XR Sector
National Policy for Growth of the AVGC-XR Sector in India
