CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OF INDIA- INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING MINISTRY MEDIA UNITS In India, major advances in the field of broadcasting,

communication and information technology (IT) during the last decade have had a great impact on the information and broadcasting sector. Fast paced technological developments and innovative application of technologies have resulted in information and broadcasting services gaining unprecedented reach. It is now possible to deliver a big basket of services including telephony, television and internet through a common delivery system. Many means of communication deployed in the past to reach large segments of the population have either become outdated or underwent radical change. Yet the basic goals of providing people with developmental information and wholesome entertainment at a minimal cost, facilitating healthy growth and competition has remained as valid as ever. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, through the mass communication media consisting of radio, television, films, the press, publications, advertising and traditional mode of dance and drama plays a significant part in helping the people to have access to free flow of information. It also caters to the dissemination of knowledge and entertainment to all sections of society, striking a careful balance between public interest and commercial needs, in its delivery of services. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to information, broadcasting, the press and films. This Ministry is responsible for international co-operation in the field of mass media, films and broadcasting and interacts with its foreign counterparts on behalf of Government of India. The mandates of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting are: 1. Development of broadcasting and television. 2. Development and promotion of film industry. 3. Advertisement and visual publicity on behalf of the Government of India. 4. Administration of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 in respect of newspapers. 5. Research, Reference and Training to assist the media units of the Ministry to meet their responsibilities. 6. International co-operation in the field of information & mass media. The specialized media units in the information sector are: the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the Song and Drama Division and the Directorate of Field Publicity, which, through 268 units in 22 regional offices, arranges film shows, performances by local artists, group discussions, public meetings, seminars and symposia to spread developmental messages.

The specialized units in the film sector are the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Mumbai, the Childrens Film Society of India (CFSI), Mumbai and the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) headquartered in Mumbai, among others. 1. DIRECTORATE OF PUBLICITY AND VISUAL PUBLICITY

The Directorate of Advertisement and Visual Publicity (DAVP) is the primary multi media advertising agency of the Central Government to inform the people about Governments activities, policies and programmes and to motivate them to participate in development activities. It caters to the communication needs of the client ministries and departments as also of some autonomous bodies and PSUs in different languages through print materials, press advertisements, audio visual publicity programmes on radio and television, outdoor publicity and exhibitions. It is one of the biggest advertising agencies in the country using about 6,337 newspapers for press advertising. Publicity material of DAVP is dispatched to over 15 lakh addresses under 545 categories. DAVP, with its headquarter in New Delhi, has two regional offices at Bangalore and Guwahati; two regional distribution centres at Calcutta and Chennai, and 35 field exhibition units spread all over the country. Printing of Materials The Directorate of Advertisement and Visual Publicity (DAVP) brings about publicity literature in English, Hindi and regional languages. During 1997-98, the Directorate brought out folders, booklets, brochures, posters, stickers, wall hangers etc, on a variety of schemes/ programmes like rural development, health and family welfare, income tax, women and child development, national integration and communal harmony, union budget, AIDS, IFFI 1980, immunization, drug abuse and prohibition etc. Some of the important printed materials brought out includes the Role of a Constitutional heads, containing the inaugural address by Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma at the Conference of Governors on 2 June 1997, and the Prime Ministers speeches delivered on various occasions. A series of stamp folders were printed on biographies of prominent persons and other themes. A number of publications on various subjects were also printed. DAVP inter-alia printed five kinds of Tax Payers information folders in addition to printing a book on the Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme. 2. PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the nodal agency of the Government of India to disseminate information to the print and electronic media on the government policies, programmes, initiatives and achievements. Functioning as an interface between the government and media, the PIB also provides feedback to the government with peoples reaction as reflected in the media.

The Bureau has a total of 41 offices, 8 regional offices, 33 branch offices and Information centres. The Bureau disseminates information through different formats, such as, press releases, feature articles, data tours, video tapes, computerized reports and distribution of Bulletin Board Service (BBS). The information material released in Hindi, English, Urdu and other regional languages reaches to cover 8,000 newspapers and media organizations. The Bureau has a team of officers at the headquarters who are exclusively attached to various ministries and departments for the purpose of assisting them in disseminating information to the media. They also provide feedback to their respective ministries and departments. As part of the Special Services, the feedback cell in PIB prepares a daily digest and special digests based on news stories and editorials from national and regional dailies and periodicals. The features unit provides backgrounders, updates, features ad graphics. These are circulated in the national network and also sent to the regional and branch offices for translation and circulation to the local press. Computerisation The Press Information Bureau is linked with 28 of its Regional and Branch offices over computer to facilitate fast feeding of information. The Bureau also has a link with the internet system which makes material available for international consumption. With a view to disseminating information in a short time, the press releases from the Bureau are faxed through computers to local newspapers and all the resident correspondents of the important outstation newspapers. The PIB has stated photo transmission by computer to some of its offices. A bulletin board service has also been introduced on computers which contains released features, photos and graphics Video Conferencing Facilities Video Conferencing facility was introduced in the Bureau in Feb 1998. The Bureau is now connected to 11 regional centres by the video conferencing system. This will enable media persons at regional centres to participate in Press Conference in New Delhi and also in other parts if the country. Accreditation Facilities PIB provides accreditation facilities to media persons so as to make it easy to access information from the government sources. About 2,266 correspondents and cameramen are accredited with the Bureaus headquarters. Besides about 191 technicians and 112 editors/media critics have also been granted these professional facilities. Over 25 sessions of video conferencing connecting 11 regional centres were organized during general elections in which about 150 media persons, political analysts and experts participated. Workshops and Seminars Several workshops and seminars were organized in connection with the celebration of Indias Independence. Two computer workshops were organized for Urdu journalists in New Delhi and Lucknow. A week-long training programme on business journalism was held at the headquarters in coordination with REUTERS. 3

Press Tours About 67 press tours were organized by ht regional/branch offices and the headquarters of the Bureau. National Press Centre A national press centre set up information bureau, New Delhi serves as a nerve centre for both national and international press. The centre has basic facilities of a media centre: a telecommunication centre, a press conference hall, a press lounge and a cafeteria. 3. SONGS AND DRAMA DIVISION

The song and drama division was set up in 1954 as a unit of All India Radio and was given the status of an independent media unit in 1960 as a subordinate office of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It was established for tapping the resourceful live entertainment media, particularly the traditional and folk media for plan publicity. The media proved to be very effective as it had the advantage of instant rapport with the people and the flexibility in its forms to incorporate new ideas effectively. Its scope was, therefore enlarged to reach the grass root level to educate the people, through live entertainment, about the problem faced by the people in the gigantic task of national reconstruction. To achieve this objective, a wide range of stage forms such as drama, folk and traditional plays, dance drama, folk recitals and puppet shows besides the sound and light medium were utilized to focus the attention of the audience on important aspects of the countrys life and developments in different fields. The Song and Drama division puts up field programmes in coordination with the sister media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, central and state government departments and voluntary organizations. The division works in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Defence and Social welfare as well. The main objectives of the division fall into three categories. These are (i) Psychological objectives: (a) To break the mental isolation of the people of border areas. (b) To make them receptive to our publicity. (c) To create a feeling in them that they are an integral part of the nation. (d) To convince them that the rest of the country does not consider their culture to be inferior. (e) To create an awareness that it is in their own interest that they must stand together to repel any hostile element; and (f) To make them realize that for heir own growth and benefit they must contribute actively towards the growth of the nation and thus develop a national outlook beyond the clan, tribal community and regional confines. (ii) Defence and security objectives: (a) To counteract the false propaganda by the hostile element leading to unrest and disturbances. (b) To fight seditionist tendencies among the people of these areas. (c) To create awareness for the need to fight aggression from any foreign power. (iii)Sociological, Educational and Cultural Objectives: (a) To inform the people of border areas of the various projects undertaken by the government for their welfare. (b) To acquaint the people of these areas with the democratic principles embodied in our constitution and to show how India is steadily marching ahead in 4

the interest of the world peace and solidarity in a democratic way. (c) To acquaint the people of these areas with the great historical and cultural inheritance of the country. (d) To arrange exchange of cultural patterns among the various border areas and thus help in cementing unity among the people of these areas. The project are projected by using various formats of traditional folk media including Drama, Composite programmes, Dance Drama, Opera, Folk Recitals, Puppet shows, Sound and Light programmes. The programmes on relevant themes are produced departmentally which serve as a model for the Private Registered Parties also. On an average Song and Drama Division puts up about 36,000 programmes all over the country every year. These programmes are presented in various dialects and languages broadly on various items. These are: 1. National Integration, 2.Communal Harmony, 3. National Cultural Heritage 4. Family Welfare 5. 20- Point economic programmes, 6. Welfare of the Minorities, 7. Removal of Untouchabilities, 8. Non Violence, 9. Child care, 10. Removal of Dowry system, 11. Adult Education, 12. Conservation of Petroleum Products, 13. Rural Development, 14. Eight Five Year Plan, 15. Consumers Protection, 6.National Savings and 17. Other themes of SocioEconomic importance. 4. DIRECTORATE OF FIELD PUBLICITY

The Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP) came into being in 1953, originally as the Five Year Plans Publicity Organisation (FYPPO), with 32 Field Publicity Units and Four Regional offices. The objectives of setting up the FYPPO was to secure, through country-wide dissemination of information pertaining to plans, policies and programmes of the government, peoples willing and enthusiastic cooperation in the gigantic task of nation building. The organization worked directly under the administrative control of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. As gradually its area of operations extended beyond the Five Year Plans the organization was renamed as the Directorate of Field Publicity in 1959. The sixties and seventies witnessed considerable addition to the demands being made on the directorate and its responsibilities. To meaningfully fulfill its initial mandate and also to rise to its larger role there were corresponding additions to its strength during the period. Dedicated units for border publicity and health and family welfare came up in 1965-66 and 1967-68 respectively. By 1995 the organization had attained its present strength of 260 Field Publicity Units and 22 Regional Offices. The DFP, the only interpersonal media of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting acts as a two way bridge between the people and the government has been using since its inception various communication formats such as film shows, live song and drama programme, photo exhibitions, special programmes and contests and interpersonal communication including seminars symposia, elocution contests and group discussions for purveying its myriads messages to the people at large. Apart from enlightening people about the various developmental plan and activities of the government the DFP also 5

endeavors to expose them to the countrys diverse socio economics and cultural media. The organization is constantly striving both technologically and strategy wise, to update its operations in consonance with its aims and objectives. These aims and objectives are: (a) To project the policies and programmes of the government by bringing its men and material face to face and to inform about the fundamental national values like democracy, socialism and secularism and to reinforce their faith in them. (c) To establish rapport with the people at the grassroots level for their active participation in the developmental activities as also to mobilize public opinion in favour of implementation of welfare and developmental programmes and (d) To gather peoples reactions to the programmes and policies of the government and their implementation down to the village level and to report back the same for taking appropriate action and applying correctives by the government. 5. PUBLICATIONS DIVISION The Directorate of Publication Division (PDP) produces and sells books and journals on matters of national importance at reasonable prices. It has so far published about 7,000 titles, out of which about 1,500 are still in print. On an average, the division publishes about 120 titles a year. The publication divisions, a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has today acquired the status as one of t he biggest publishing enterprises in the country. Set up in 1941, as a branch of the Bureau of Public Information, it acquired its present name and identity in 1944. The subjects covered range from Art, History, Culture, Biographies of great men of India including Builders of Modern India and Cultural leaders of India, Gandhian Literature, land and the people, flora and fauna, science and technology, to works of reference like India A Reference Annual, and Mass Media in India. It also brings out selected speeches of the Presidents and the Prime Ministers. Aims and Objectives The aim of the publications division is (i) to disseminate information about the countrys development in various fields, (ii) to facilitate national integration by promoting greater awareness and understanding among the people of different regions and adhering to different faiths and beliefs and (iii) to stimulate interest in and to generate and promote appreciation and respect for variegated pattern of life and culture in India and to preserve art, culture and heritage of the country through print. Books and Journals The books and journals brought out by the division cover subjects as varied as art and culture, flora and fauna, travel and tourism, biographies of eminent persons, speeches of national leaders and womens and childrens literature. The publications also include books on popular science, education, history, fine arts, ecology, comparative study of religious, ethics, morality projecting various shades of Indias unity in diversity besides reference and other specialized literature. The division has brought out 6

some of the finest books of lasting significance on various facets of art and culture. To name a few of these are: A Handbook of Graphics, A Handbook of Sculpture, An Introduction to Indian Music, Basohli Painting, Eye of Art, Folk Metal Crafts in Eastern India, 5000 Years of Indian Architecture, Handicrafts in Rajasthan etc The division has so far brought out about 7000 books and volumes in Hindi, English and major regional languages of the country. On an average, it now publishes about 70 to 1000 titles every year. One special feature of the performance in 1993-94 was that the division brought out a number of art books in English i.e, South Indian Paintings, Some Aspects of Indian Culture. The division continues to publish the series of low priced books under the series Books for Millions, Wisdom of India and Thus Spake. The series Wisdom of India endeavours to project the contributions of our ancient luminaries like Varahamihira, Aryabhatta, Panini, Gargi and others. Whereas Thus Spake contains the sayings of Indias spiritual leaders. Gandhian Literature A separate wing of the division has been entrusted with the task of compiling and editing the writings of Mahatma Gandhi, both in English and Hindi. Eighty three volumes in Hindi have already been published. One hundredth and the last volume in English were released in October 1994. The division has also published many other books on Gandhian literature written by renowned authors. The Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards were instituted by the Publications division on the suggestions given by the Hindi Advisory Committee of the ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1983. Under this project Indian writers are awarded every year to encourage original and creative writing in Hindi on various disciplines of mass communication. 6. PHOTO DIVISION The Photo division is a subordinate office of the ministry of Information and Broadcasting and is working for the photo documentation of the cultural and social changes in the country. It provides visual support required for any aspect of communication. The division provides the photo visuals to the Media Units of the Ministry if Information and Broadcasting and other Ministries and Departments of the Central and state Governments, which include President Secretariat, Vice-President Secretariat, Prime Ministers Office, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariat and Indian Missions abroad. The division has also got a provision to supply black and white and colour photographs and the transparencies on payment basis to the general public and non publicity organizations. Over the years, photo division undertook photo coverages of various important events which include the Asian Games, Common wealth Heads of states meeting, Non Aligned Summit, SAARC, Birth Centenaries of the National Leaders, National Festivals like Republic Day. Besides, the photo coverages of the VVIPs within the country and their visits abroad and likewise visits of the heads of 7

states and governments, all the VVIPs and the delegates from abroad were covered and photos of these visits are generally being released to the Press all over the country. Also a colourful album of the photographs is presented to the concerned dignitary by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. During the year the division also prepared albums containing the registered photographs of th Prime Minister. The Division also release the photographs of the Important events from the day to day coverage to the newspapers throughout the country through Press Information Bureau (PIB). So far as the coverages of the photographic assignments of the states where the division does not have any office, is normally covered by the officers of the headquarter whenever called upon to do so. The officers of the division also accompany the VVIPs on their visits in the country and abroad to provide photo publicity. Photographic information of the countrys historical and cultural heritage, socio-economic and industrial development and also day to day development activities all over the country in the form of colour prints, transparencies and black and white photographs are supplied to the Ministry of External Affairs for presenting the countrys image abroad. Photographs on national importance events like national integration, family welfare activities, communal harmony, 20 points programme are supplied to the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) for display in the form of exhibitions throughout the country. The division covered more than 3000 assignments, and prepared 1000 transparencies, produced three lakhs colour prints and five lakhs black and white prints in different sizes. 7. RESEARCH, REFERENCE AND TRAINING DIVISION The Research, Reference and Training Division (RR&TD) functions as an information servicing agency tot eh Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, its media units and their field offices. It serves as in information bank and an information feeder service to the media units to help in their programming and publicity campaigns. It also studies trends in mass communication media and maintains references and carries out documentation services on current affairs and mass communication. The division compiles, on a regular basis, backgrounders, reference and research papers, dairy of events, development digest, bibliography, bulletin on film, an annual programme calendar of national events and media dairy. Biographical sketches of eminent personalities including freedom fighters are also the task undertaken by it. The division also looks after the training aspects of the Indian Information Services officers in collaboration with Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), projecting the Ministrys emphasis on manpower planning and development. Reference Annual The division compiles and edits the book entitled India A Reference Annual. The Annual is a well documented volume and highly rated as a book of reference by research scholars, students, journalists, officials, academicians, professionals and others. It was first published in 1953 and since 8

then 43 editions have been released. The Annual contains information on Indias geographic features, its polity and economy, its plans and programmes for socio-economic development. Reference Library The division maintains a well stocked library having over 65,000 books as well as bound volumes of reports and periodicals. Its collections includes specialized books on journalism, public relations, advertising and audio visual media, encyclopedia series, year books and current articles. During 1997-98 about 565 new titles were added to the library of which 165 books are in Hindi and on various subjects. The library caters to the needs if the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its media unit, and to accredited press correspondents. It has a total membership of about 1,000 readers. Documentation Centre The National Documentation centre on Mass Communication (NDCMC) was set up as a part of the division in 1976 with the broad objective of collecting, interpreting and disseminating information relating to the agencies, events and trends in the field of mass communication. The centre documents and indexes news items, articles and other information material on mass communication and mass media. It also disseminates information through eight popular services. These are: (a) Current Awareness Service, (b) Reference Information Services, (c) Bibliography Service, (d) Whos Who in Mass Media, (e) Honours Conferred on Mass Communicators, (f) World Media Service, (g) Media Memory and (h) Bulletin on Film. Mass Media in India The centre brings out a reference annual on Mass Communication known as Mass Media in India. The book brings together various information and statistical data in the activities of various media organizations of the Central and State Governments and Union Territories. It carries articles on important events and developments having taken place in different mass media. Training The division undertook a number if activities on the training front for the Indian Information Services Officers. A batch of four IIS Group A probationers completed their 11 month orientation course at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Some short duration courses for in service group were also organized every year. 8. FILM DIVISION Films division is the largest national agency devoted to the production and distribution of documentaries and news magazines. The division was setup in 1948 to revive the production in newsreel 9

and documentaries and 16mm featurettes for rural audience in regional languages. It is produces cartoon films and education films for Ministry if Agriculture, defence, family welfare and other departments of Government of India. The distribution outlets for these films are doordarshan, theatrical circuits having a weekly audience of almost ten to twelve crores and non theatrical circuits consisting of field publicity units of central and state government and other institutions, non theatrical exhibition channels like educational institution, industrial houses, social and cultural organizations and film societies. It is estimated that about five to six crore of rural audience is exposed to these films every week. The divisions films are also screened abroad through the Indian embassies, television networks, government departments, educational cultural and social organizations as well. It also participates in various International Film Festivals. The division releases prints of one documentary film and one news magazine alternately every week for public exhibition through cinema houses throughout the country. They are required to screen such films not exceeding 609.8 mtrs under the compulsory exhibition scheme. Films division now releases 400 prints every week. The division continues the production of 16mm rural based featurettes in languages and dialects of Southern and Eastern regions of the country through its regional production centres at Bangalore and Calcutta. Some of the production of regional centres has won national awards. The division has won two National Awards for its documentaries in 1993-94. Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) The Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) was set up by the Government of India under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1973 with the prime objective of promoting good cinema. Since then, the Directorate has provided a platform for the best in Indian cinema by holding the National Film Festival every year. It has also proved to be a vehicle for promoting cultural understanding and friendship at the International level. Within the country, it has made the newest trends in world cinema accessible to the general public. Film and Television Institution of India (FTII) The film and television institution of India (FTII) located at Pune imparts technical training in the art of filmmaking and also provides in service training to the employees of Doordarshan. The Institute conducts three year specialization courses in (1) Motion Picture Photography (2)Film Directing and (3) Audiography with one year integrated training. Television training is imparted in TV programme production and technical operations. Short term courses in specialized areas of TV production are also organized. The TV wing mainly caters to the training needs of various production and technical staff of the doordarshan. Short term TV orientation

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courses are conducted for the Indian information service officers and students of the film wing of the institute. National Film Archives of India (NFAI) The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) was established as a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in February 1964. Its three principal objectives are: (i) (ii) (iii) To trace, acquire and preserve for posterity the heritage of he Indian cinema. To classify, document data and undertake research relating to films, and To act as a centre for the dissemination of film culture. With headquarters at Pune, NFAI has three regional offices at Bangalore, Calcutta and Thiruvananthapuram. Its distribution library of 16mm films extends facilities to members throughout the county. NFAI has been a member of the International Federation of Film Archives since May 1969. This enables it to expert advice and material on preservation techniques, documentation and bibliographies and to exchange rare films with other archives under the archival exchange programme. Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) The central board of film certification (CBFC) set up in 1951 in Bombay under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 has a chairman and 25 other members all appointed by the central government. The board functions with its headquarters in Mumbai and nine regional offices in Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Cuttack and Guwahati. The regional offices have advisory panels for assisting in the examination of films. The members of these panels, appointees of the central government, comprise, among others, eminent educationists, art critics, journalists, social workers, social scientists, doctors, lawyers and persons connected with film production. The films are certified under four categories viz, U, UA, A, and S. The U category films are considered suitable for unrestricted public exhibition. The film suitable for unrestricted exhibition subject to parental guidance for children below 12 years of age, fall under category UA. The films which can be watched by adults only are granted A category while those meant for specialized audiences, like doctors, etc., come under category S. the films not falling under any of these categories are refused certificates. National Centre of Films for Children and Young People (NCYP) The National Center of Films for Children and Young People (NCYP), formerly known as the Childrens Film Society, India CFSI) was established in May 1955, with the blessings of the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Prime objectives were: Production, Acquisition,

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Distribution, Exhibitions of Films, especially made for children and the promotion of Childrens Film Movement. Since April 1992, the scope of the activities of the organization has been widened to include young people along with children, leading to a change in the name of the organization. NCYP as it is called in short is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. NCYP has its office at Mumbai, with the zonal offices in New Delhi and Chennai. The activities are controlled and guided y the General Body and Executive Council which are headed by a common chairperson. The members of these two bodies are nominated by the government of India. Since its inception, NCYP has produced and acquired more than 249 feature, featurette, short animation and puppet films. The organization continues to distribute and exhibit its films through normal theatre programmes and through National T.V. Networks. To overcome the difficulties in theatre exhibition and to carry children cinema to the mofussil area, NCYP has over the years, been organizing festivals of its films at district levels, each consisting of 8 to 10 films lasting about a week, in collaboration with local authorities and welfare organizations. National Film Development Corporation Ltd (NFDC) The National Film Development Corporation Limited is the central agency, established in 1975, to promote good cinema in the country. In order to promote and organize an integrated and efficient development of the film industry, it undertakes a wide range of activities covering various aspects of filmmaking and marketing. The main activities of the corporation are: 1. Financing, producing and co-producing quality films with socially relevant themes, creative and artistic excellence and experimental in form. 2. Distribution and dissemination of films through various channels, such as theatre, video and television. 3. Export of films. 4. Import of feature films and other TV/ Video Right and distribution/sub distribution of the same in the country through various channels. 5. Providing essential pre-production and post-production infrastructure to the industry, keeping pace with the fast changing technology. 6. Financing theatre construction to ensure creation of additional seating capacity and wider exposition for quality films in the country. 7. Promoting culture and understanding of cinema by organising Film Weeks, Indian Panorama and Film Festivals in collaboration with Film Societies, National Film Circle and such other form both in respect of Indian /foreign films

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To ensure the welfare of the cine artistes through the Cine Artistes Welfare Fund of India set up by the NFDC. Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Calcutta The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Calcutta, and autonomous grant-in-aid body under the Ministry of Informational and Broadcasting has been set up at the national level to provide education and technological experience in the art and technique of filmmaking. The institute started diploma courses in four disciplines, viz., direction, motion picture photography, editing and sound recording with effect from September 1996. The scheme to set up the SRFTI was approved in November 1992 at an estimated cost of Rs. 29.50 crore. The annual plan outlay for the year 1997-98 of SRFTI was Rs.12.71 crore. 9. REGISTRAR OF NEWSPAPER FOR INDIA The Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India, popularly known as RNI came into being on 1st July, 1956, on the recommendation of the First Press Commission in 1953 and by amending the Press and Registration of Books Act (PRB Act) 1867. The Press and Registration of Books Act contain the duties and functions of the RNI. On account of some more responsibilities entrusted upon RNI during all these years the office is performing both statutory as well as non-statutory functions. Statutory functions: 1. Issue of certificate of registration to the newspapers published under valid declaration; Informing the District Magistrates about availability of titles to intending publishers for filing declaration; 2. Verification under Section 19-F of the PRB Act of circulation claims furnished by the publishers in their Annual Statements; and 3. Formulation of Newsprint Allocation Policy - guidelines and issue of Eligibility Certificate to the newspapers to enable them to import newsprint and to procure indigenous newsprint. 4. Assessing and certifying the essential need and requirement of newspaper establishments to import printing and composing machinery and allied materials.

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