Bengaluru to House Center of Excellence for Animation

The state cabinet has recently approved the Karnataka Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) policy, 2017–2022 to extend support to the animation industry to expand not only in Bengaluru but in other tier-II cities of the state. The capital will also get a center of excellence for animation. The focus of the new policy will be on giving production grants for activities such as animated feature films and visual-effect projects. The policy will propel Karnataka as a truly global leader in AVGC. It is expected to generate 15,000 jobs.

The policy was drafted in consultation with the industry body, ABAI, a nonprofit organization committed to developing the animation, VFX, and gaming industry in India. The government is keen on getting overseas AVGC firms on board so that Bengaluru and other tier-II cities benefit from the high-end technology. It will also encourage professionals to create original intellectual property (IP) content. Nearly 20 percent of India’s graphic developers and service providers are located in Bengaluru. Karnataka is registering `20 crore AVGC funds to promote cutting-edge work in the sector.