KOLKATA: Like many other industries, the media and entertainment sector also reeled under the impact of Covid2019. With budget 2021 expected to be an economic vaccine, the sector hoped for certain reliefs to get back on its foot. However, the government neither announced any specific breaks or subsidies for the industry, nor did it raise the overall fund allocation for the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB).

The ministry has been granted Rs 4071.23 crore for 2021-22, a figure significantly lower than the Rs 4375.21 crore it was bestowed last year. Having said that, the MIB’s revised budget for 2020-21 stands at Rs 3650.25 crore.

State run broadcaster Prasar Bharati will receive Rs 2640.11 crore, a little less than the budget estimate Rs 2889.36 crore for last year. On the other hand, the revised budget for Prasar Bharati in 2020-21 stands at Rs 2725.10 crore.

Overall, support for autonomous bodies including Prasar Bharati, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune, the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) Kolkata, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), the Press Council of India, and the Childrens Films Society of India has gone up. FTII Pune has received Rs 58.48 crore , SRFTI Kolkata has been given Rs 87.92 crore compared to Rs 67.55 crore, while IIMC has secured Rs 65 crore in 2021-22.

Among other segments, establishment expenditure including secretariat, art and culture, information and publicity has received Rs 563.77 crore. The information and publicity segment has received an allocation of Rs 460.77 crore.