The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Tough action against video piracy coming

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tough action against video piracy coming

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, SEPT. 27. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today announced a package of measures, including taking stringent action against video piracy, reduction in entertainment tax, doing away with the compounding tax system, scaling down location shooting rates and provision of subsidy for low-budget films, to help the film industry "come out of the slump and make rapid strides." As she herself had been part of the industry, she was aware of all the issues raised by a delegation, which met her on September 23.

On measures to curb video piracy, she said "video pirates" would be brought under the purview of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug-offenders, Forest offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic offenders and Slum Grabbers Act, 1982 (Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982) through amendments to the Act. To ensure strict implementation of the Copyright Act, 1957 (Act 14 of 1957-Central Act), six video piracy special cells would be established. Besides, the six existing cells would be strengthened with immediate effect.

On the "widespread practice" of exhibition of pirated video films in buses, she said action would be taken under the Tamil Nadu Exhibition of Films on Television Screen through Video Cassette Recorders and Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1984 (Tamil Nadu Act 7 of 1984) to book fleet operators. Steps would also be taken to amend Section 15 (2) to provide for punishment for a term extendable to two years or a fine or both and an enhanced penalty for "repeat offenders."

Ms. Jayalalithaa said the new rates of entertainment tax were applicable to permanent and semi-permanent theatres in a 5-km radius of the municipal corporation and special grade municipality areas. To protect the local bodies from loss of revenue owing to the decision to replace the compounding tax system with a simple system of levy in other areas, a suitable compensation would be made.

Location shooting rates

The other announcements included: low-budget films with good themes useful for social mobilisation and propagating good values would qualify for total ET exemption; maintenance charges at 50 paise per ticket for non-airconditioned theatres and Re. 1 per ticket for airconditioned theatres would be allowed; lease transactions of the film industry would be exempted from sales tax for three years; penal action to recover ST would be withdrawn; per day rates for film shooting in public places in Category-I locations, such as colleges, Kodaikanal and the Ooty lake, sanctuaries and hospitals would be brought down to Rs.10,000 from Rs.50,000; for Category-II locations, which included all other public places, the rate would be scaled down to Rs.5,000 from Rs.25,000. The rate for location shooting in Rajaji Hall would be reduced from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs.25,000 a day.

Ms. Jayalalithaa also announced a new subsidy scheme for low-budget films, with total prints not exceeding 25 and length not exceeding 3,000 metres, at an enhanced rate of Rs.7 lakhs per film from 2003. The scheme would be implemented at an annual cost of Rs.2 crores.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu