AVGC Task Force report calls for National AVGC-XR Mission with budgetary outlay

The Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) Task Force has called for a National AVGC-XR Mission with a budget outlay to be created for integrated promotion & 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 exclusive focus on content creation, In India, For India & For World.

The main recommendations of the Task Force categorized broadly under 4 categories are as under

1. 1. Domestic Industry Development for Global Access
      1. A National AVGC-XR Mission with a budget outlay to be created for integrated promotion & growth of the AVGC sector.
      2. Launch of a ‘Create in India’ campaign with exclusive focus on content creation, In India, For India & For World!
      3. With a goal to make India the global hub for AVGC, institute an International AVGC Platform, along with a Gaming Expo) with focus on FDI, Co-production treaties and Innovation.
      4. Establish a National Centre of Excellence (COE) for the AVGC sector to become an international reference point across Skilling, Education, Industry Development and Research & Innovation for the AVGC sector. Regional COEs will be instituted in collaboration with the State Governments to provide access to local industries and to promote local talent and content.
   2. Developing Talent ecosystem to realize Demographic Dividends
      1. Leverage 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.
      2. Launch AVGC focused UG/ PG courses with standard curriculum and globally recognized degrees. Standardize admission tests for AVGC related courses (viz, MECAT by MESC).
      3. With an eye on the demand of 20 Lakh skilled professionals in AVGC sector in this decade, augment skilling initiatives for AVGC sector under MESC. Enhance Industry participation to ensure employment opportunities and absorption for students from non-metro cities and NE states.
      4. Establish AVGC Accelerators and Innovation hubs in academic institutions, on lines of Atal Tinkering Labs.
   3. Enhancing Technology & Financial Viability for Indian AVGC Industry
      1. Democratize AVGC technologies by promoting subscription-based pricing models for MSME, Start-Ups and institutions.
      2. Made in India for AVGC technologies through incentive schemes for R&D and IP creation. Evaluate PLI scheme to incentivize AVGC hardware manufacturers.
      3. Enhanced Ease of Doing Business in AVGC sector i.e tax benefits, import duties, curbing piracy, etc.
      4. Leverage Start-Up India to provide technical, financial and market access assistance to AVGC entrepreneurs to promote culture of R&D and local IP Creation.
   4. Raising India’s soft power through an Inclusive growth
      1. Establish a dedicated Production Fund for domestic content creation from across India to promote Indian culture & heritage globally. Evaluate Reservation for high-quality indigenous content by broadcasters.
      2. For an Inclusive India, target skilling and industry outreach for youth in Tier 2 & 3 towns and villages in India. Establish Special incentives for women entrepreneurs in AVGC sector.
      3. Promote local Children’s channels for raising awareness on rich culture and  history of India among children and youth
      4. Establish 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 realize 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 State Governments of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana; heads of education bodies such as All India Council of Technical Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training and representatives of industry bodies – MESC, FICCI and CII.

Further, the Task Force had key industry leaders of 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 and CEO of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment.

Four Sub-Task Forces were constituted for devising strategies of growth through targeted interventions in their respective areas, a) Industry & Policy headed by Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary MOIB; b) Education headed by Shri Anil Shahashrabudhe, then Chairperson AICTE; c) Skilling 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 Task force 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 the Indian talent can lead the way in this sector.

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 emphasized that beyond the high economic impact of the growth of this sector, the sector also has the potential to better disseminate and promote the 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. BCS Bureau