PANAJI: Acknowledging that the framing of the Goa Scheme of Financial Assistance for Films 2010 had been delayed for quite a long time, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, in principal, agreed to make an additional provision of Rs one crore for the scheme this year, as the scheme in its previous form had been kept in abeyance for almost two years.

A fund of Rs 2 crore is annually provided for implementing the scheme.
Launching the scheme during a special programme, held at the Maquinez Palace auditorium on Wednesday, the Chief Minister further appealed to the Goan film producers to discard the crab mentality and stop pulling each others legs, while availing benefits of the scheme.
“Don’t get jealous of each other, but concentrate on your own productions, and come out with quality films,” he urged, adding that the internal conflicts between them would only result in damage to their creativity.
“I made all efforts to ensure that the revised scheme came up for implementation at the earliest, including holding a meeting with the film producers,” Mr Kamat stated, pointing out that he is still unsure as to whether the revised scheme is full proof and perfect.
“However, after implementation of the scheme, if we encounter some typical cases showing certain difficulties, necessary changes could be initiated,” he noted.
Further appealing to the youth to take benefit of the revised scheme, the Chief Minister said that the scheme should turn out to be a real benefit resulting from the International Film Festival of India, annually held in the state.
He also applauded the sub-committee comprised of Mr Vishal Pai Cacode, Mr Dharmanand Vernekar, Dr Pramod Salgaocar, Mr Laxmikant Shetgaonkar and Mr Rajendra Talak for doing a good job over the revision of the scheme.
The secretary for Information and Publicity, Mr Narendra Kumar, in his speech said that the revised scheme reflects the general consensus of the Goan filmmakers.
“Film making is not an easy task, especially when financing becomes a difficulty task,” he maintained, hoping that Goan film makers would now be in a position to make name for Goa in the field of cinema.
The CEO of the Entertainment Society of Goa, Mr Manoj Srivastava, in his welcome speech said that the new scheme will only demand 2-page document from the applicants as regards the synopsis of the film, and not the entire bound script, to be presented to the jury. 
“The jury, on the other hand will have to give reasons for acceptance or rejection of the application,” he added.
Mr Srivastava also said that the scheme has tried to include into it as much expenditure as possible, which can be reimbursed by the beneficiaries.
“Colour correction, mixing of film, duplication of prints, subtitling are some of the new areas in which the money would be reimbursed to the beneficiaries as per the scheme,” he added.
A member of the ESG’s governing council, Mr Vishnu Wagh proposed the vote of thanks.
Interestingly, a section of the Goan film producers did not attend the event as they were not invited. The department of information and publicity, however, made a last minute attempt to invite the members of the sub-committee, who had revised the scheme.
The differences between the DoIP and ESG, which had resulted in failure on their part to invite a section of the Goan film producers as well as the members of the sub-committee to the function, however came to the fore, when after the function, the Chief Minister was informed by the president of the Goa Union of Journalists, Mr Prakash Kamat that the official press room in the Maquinez palace had been bereft of many facilities.
A visibly upset Chief Minister then called Mr Narendra Kumar, Mr Srivastava and the DoIP director, Mr Menino Peres and questioned as to whether the Chief Minister is expected to oversee such small things.
He further ordered immediate restoration of connections to the telephone, television and computers in the press room, as well as introduce wi-fi facility for pressmen.