Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on September 16 presented cheques as government subsidy to entrepreneurs to establish new cinema halls and for reopening or renovation of closed and old cinema halls in the state.
Under the scheme which is implemented by Assam State Film (Finance and Development) Corporation Limited for the first time, government subsidies were given to five entrepreneurs for opening of new cinema halls and five entrepreneurs for reopening or renovation of closed and old cinema halls.
For new cinema halls, government would bear subsidy up to 25 per cent or Rs 75 lakh, for renovation of cinema halls there would be government subsidy to the tune of Rs 25 lakh and for the re-opening of cinema halls the government subsidy would be Rs 50 lakh.
The government released 40 per cent of the subsidy under the scheme.
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said the government has taken decision to help out the cinema halls to promote the exhibition of Assamese cinema along other mainstream cinemas. The scheme will also help to revamp the film industry turn into a potential industry in the state.
He said: “Assamese society is culturally deep-rooted one where people belonging to Barak, Brahmaputra, hills and plains are working together to expedite cultural development of the state”.
Paying obeisance to the cultural icons like Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Bishu Prasad Rabha, Phani Sharma, Bhupen Hazarika, Sonowal said the contributions of these personalities have established Assamese in the global landscape.
Sonowal also said the COVID-19 pandemic has had its impact on the artistes of the state as their activities have been greatly restricted by the pandemic. He, however, said that the government is committed to be alongside the artistes as the government is formulating various schemes for the welfare of them.
The beneficiaries given subsidy for opening new cinema halls are Jonaki Cinema Hall, Tezpur; Kelvin Cinema Hall, Guwahati; Zelimax, Bongaigaon; Chaya Cinema Hall, Tangla and PG Enterprise-promoted cinema hall at Bypass Nagaon.
For reopening or renovation of closed and old cinema halls, the beneficiaries selected are Indrapuri Cinema Hall, Barpeta; Anuradha Cine Complex, Guwahati; Nakshatra Cinema Hall, Lakhimpur; Mayapuri Cinema Hall, Bongaigaon and Nazira Film Cooperative Societies, Nazira.
Minister of State (in-charge) for Culture, Naba Kumar Doley, while speaking on the occasion, gave a brief snapshot of different schemes that Cultural Affairs department has taken for the promotion of different cultures of the state.
