The Centre has been encouraging the creators’ economy, which has huge potential for growth, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday. He also highlighted the social responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure society is not harmed and cautioned about the adverse impact of addictive content.

Vaishnaw launched 25 Challenges covering a range of disciplines, such as animation, filmmaking, gaming, music, and visual arts, as part of the ‘Create in India Challenge’ ahead of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), scheduled to be held in November in Goa. Industry associations are hosting these challenges.

Speaking at the event, he said that the entertainment industry has seen a huge change in the past few years, leading to the development of a totally new creators’ economy with immense potential. He added that this creators’ economy has emerged as a medium to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage, way of life, yoga, traditional medicine system, and diversity in cuisines.

“Government of India is leaving no stone unturned to encourage this economy and therefore, we need to ensure the talent & skill development and availability of necessary infrastructure in this sector,” Vaishnaw said.

“To further develop this creators’ economy, the government is focused on creating world-class talent development programs and infrastructure. There are plans to establish world-class universities and facilities that will enhance the capabilities of creators in media and entertainment,” he added.

Stating that filmmaking is one of the country’s strengths, the Minister said that in today’s era, there is a great scope for using new technology and tools in this sector, ensuring a good scope for employment generation. He added that if successfully executed, the program can generate 2-3 lakh jobs in the sector.

“At the same time, we also have to ensure that we do not do anything that harms society. We have to guard ourselves against content that is addictive. In this regard, everybody -- government, industry, society -- has equal responsibility,” Vaishnaw said.

Published on August 23, 2024