By NE NOW NEWS
Aizawl: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L. Murugan on Tuesday assured support for proposals aimed at strengthening Mizoram’s media, film and digital infrastructure sectors during a two-day visit to the state.
Soon after arriving at Lengpui Airport, Murugan held discussions with Mizoram Information and Public Relations Minister B. Lalchhanzova on initiatives related to media, film and digital infrastructure before leaving for Kolasib district for official engagements.
During the meeting, the state government proposed setting up Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) content creator labs in 200 schools and 20 colleges to promote digital content creation skills and entrepreneurship among youth.
Lalchhanzova also sought support for training and capacity-building programmes for Mizo filmmakers through institutions such as the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).
The state government further proposed a dedicated scheme for renovation of existing cinema halls and construction of new theatres in the Northeast to support local-language films, preserve cultural heritage and create employment opportunities.
Among other proposals, the state sought the extension of the Lemchan Film Festival from its current format to a five-day event and requested financial assistance for media and development projects under the 10 per cent Gross Budgetary Support earmarked for the Northeast region.
The government also requested continued institutional support to enable Mizo filmmakers to participate in national and international film festivals, sources said.
Responding to the proposals, Murugan said the Centre would work towards addressing the state’s demands and expressed interest in attending a film festival in Mizoram in the future.
Later, the Union Minister left for Kolasib district, where he is scheduled to hold review meetings with district officials and visit project sites on Wednesday.