Entertainment sector seeks facilities equal to other industries

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, June 29: Stakeholders of film industries, business community and other sectors on Tuesday discussed the problems facing by the entertainment industry and the efforts made by the concerned government agencies to address them.

Speaking at a programme on 'Film Song-Music Concerns and Law and Tax Rights' held at the office of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, FNCCI President Shekhar Golchha urged the government to address the problems and difficulties facing by the entertainment industry. 

He said that the FNCCI was continuously supporting the entertainment industry.

Aakash Adhikari, President of the Film Producers' Association and the President of Entertainment Forum, FNCCI, said that although the Nepali film industry is listed in the national priority industrial sectors it was not given the same value the other industries are enjoying.

He said that even though the production side of the industry was included in the list of industrial areas, the distribution and exhibition sides were equally important and the government should give equal priority to the entertainment sectors.

He said that the film industry would invest around Rs. 2.5 billion annually and the banks and financial institutions should provide business loans to the industry.

As the film industry is the most affected sector by COVID-19, the government should provide project loan facility to make this sector operational.

While filming Nepali films in the area where domestic and foreign tourists float, the government needs to exempt taxes, he said.  

The provincial governments have also been levying entertainment tax and the local cinema should be given tax exemption, he added. 

 He also urged the government to coordinate with Nepali embassies in different countries for organising film festivals. 

Similarly, veteran artist Nir Bikram Shah said that stakeholders should include the views of all sectors related to entertainment industry while formulating plans and policies for the sector.

 Filmmakers need to be well aware of their profession and excel in their skills, he said, adding that the government should help make filmmakers aware of the films that contribute to the promotion and development of the Nepali film industry. 

Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Baikuntha Aryal, said that the government was positive for the upliftment of the entertainment sector.

 Addressing the issue of providing subsidy to the film sector and exempting tax, he said that the government could not provide grants and tax exemption at the same time. “The  government could consider  certain tax exemptions,” he added.

 He also urged the filmmakers to raise their issues with the Film Development Board  (FDB). He said that the FDB is the gateway to the government,and the government will address the issues that come from  FDB.