BY RAMNATH RAIKAR
PANAJI:  The revised Film Finance Scheme of the state government, which will be launched on April 28 by the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat has been incorporated with a number of new provisions including necessity on the part of the beneficiaries/ film producers to be Goan by birth or at least have 15 years domicile in the state,

and compulsion on their part to file the income-tax returns for at least three years, before availing the scheme. 
The revised scheme, which has been designed to help maximum Goan producers, also states that the beneficiary film should have its 50 per cent screen time shot in the state of Goa, and further, at least 15 per cent of the screen time shared by the Goan cast.
The scheme was revised by a special subcommittee comprised  Mr Vishal Pai Cacode, member of the governing council of the Entertainment Society of Goa; Mr Dharmanand Vernekar, member of the general body of the ESG, film producer, Dr Pramod Salgaocar and film directors – Laxmikant Shetgaonkar and Rajendra Talak. The subcommittee met on several occasions and went through different suggestions made by the film producers and local film fraternity before
coming out with its recommendations in the revised Film Finance Scheme.
Some of the salient features of the revised Film Finance Scheme include financial aid of Rs 25 lakh for 35 mm celluloid film with Dolby digital sound and Rs 20 lakh for that without Dolby digital sound, and financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh for a film shot with new format of 4K and above resolution digital camera with Dolby digital and Rs 20 lakh for that without Dolby digital sound.
The revised Film Finance Scheme has also included additional benefits like Rs 5,000 per show for screening of a celluloid feature film up to a maximum of 100 shows and Rs 3,000 per show for screening of a telefilm or feature film shot on digital or video format up to a maximum of 50 shows. The scheme further envisages Rs 5 lakh financial aid for a film screened in the official selection category of the International Film Festival of India or any recognised film festival or that festival recognised by  Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films, also known as International Federation of Film Producers Associations.
Furthermore, the revised scheme will be applicable to films originating and produced in Goa by film producers, who have to be compulsorily registered with the ESG. The scheme will also be applicable to film producers who have already registered themselves with the department of information and publicity, when the earlier Film Finance Scheme was in force. 
It maintains that the film producers must be born in Goa, or have 15 years domicile in the state of Goa or both. “In case of a company or partnership firm registered as the film producer, the Goan partner must have more than 51 per cent stake in the company or partnership firm, and should be born in Goa, or have 15 years domicile in the state of Goa or both,” it maintains.
Some more new features in the revised Film Finance Scheme are a reward of Rs 5 lakh for the director of the film winning a national or international award at the FIAPA recognised film festivals, and a reward of Rs 2 lakh for the artiste or technician in any individual category for winning a national or international award at the FIAPA recognised film festivals. In the non-feature film category, a reward of Rs 50,000 is envisaged for director, artiste or technician for winning a national award, and a reward of Rs 1 lakh to them for winning an international award at the FIAPA recognised film festivals. Any individual who is born in Goa or has 15 years domicile in the state, but is not covered under the scheme and has not availed benefit of the scheme, will also be entitled for these rewards.   
A member of the subcommittee constituted to revise the Film Finance Scheme told ‘The Navhind Times’, “The subcommittee has ensured that a total transparency would be maintained while sanctioning the films under the scheme, and has recommended certain stringent clauses like filling of I-T returns by the beneficiaries,” the member added.
Speaking further the subcommittee member said the committee has also recommended rewarding the Goan directors, actors and technicians, who are not covered under the scheme but have gained extraordinary achievements in films.
“This will not only give boost to those who are covered under the scheme but also those Goans who shine in the field of cinema,” the subcommittee member noted.
It was also informed that the revised scheme was actually approved in the 48th governing council meeting of the ESG held on February 3, 1010 and was supposed to be notified in the financial year ending on March 31, 2010.
“However, the lethargic approach of the officials of the ESG delayed the process and the Chief Minister, who is the chairman of the governing council of the ESG had to give related directions, at the March 30, 2010  meeting of the governing council,” it was revealed.
A number of Goan film producers had to face huge financial losses as the scheme was kept in abeyance for two years, after it was transferred to the ESG.