NEW DELHI: The most film-friendly state in India will henceforth receive a cash award of Rs 10 million (Rs 1 crore) in addition to Rajat Kamal and certificate.

This was announced by information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu at the opening of the 28th State Information Ministers Conference (SIMCON) on Saturday.

The award was instituted in the National Film Awards given away on 3 May this year, and the first award had gone to Gujarat. But, there was no cash component involved.

The minister said this had been done to encourage the ease of film shooting. Naidu suggested that the prize money may be used by the winning state towards film facilitation. Meanwhile, the minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said a website was soon being set up for film facilitation and permissions.

Rathore urged the states to set up film facilitation units to ease out film shooting permissions as well as ensure seamless movement of their equipment.

The ministry was in the process of setting up a central portal for all such related permissions and welcomed states to also collaborate in this platform as a part of ease of doing business initiative, he added.