The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Special fund for Kannada cinema workers planned

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Thursday, Sep 25, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Special fund for Kannada cinema workers planned

Special Correspondent

KFCC to be accorded special status

A high-powered committee to be formed for platinum jubilee celebrations
Government not averse to increasing cinema infrastructure in cities: Katta Subramanya Naidu

Bangalore: The Minister for Information, Katta Subramanya Naidu, has said that the Government would establish an exclusive fund for the welfare of Kannada cinema workers and accord special status to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) on the occasion of 75 years of Kannada cinema.

He was speaking at a function organised by the KFCC to felicitate the national and State award winners, artistes, directors and producers, veteran artistes, and the MLCs who have represented Kannada cinema in the Government here on Wednesday.

Representation

The Government had received a representation from the Kannada Chalanachitra Kaarmikara Kalavidara Tantrajnara Okkuta seeking a welfare fund for the over 4,000 cinema workers across the State.

The representation had estimated that the Government would incur an annual expenditure of Rs. 30 lakh for the purpose.

Mr. Naidu said the Government would discuss the issue in detail and establish the welfare fund on the lines of similar funds that the Government runs. Referring to the complaints that Kannada cinema was concentrated only in Bangalore, Mr. Naidu said that the Government was not averse to creating cinema infrastructure in the cities such as Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum, Mysore and Mangalore.

Utilisation necessary

But the cinema industry must ensure that it would utilise the infrastructure in the larger interest of Kannada cinema, he added. The Government had released Rs. 11 crore for establishing the Rajkumar Memorial Foundation. It would not hesitate to bear additional expenses for the purpose, he said.

Film academy

It had constituted a film academy that would be notified and announced shortly.

A high-powered committee, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, for celebrating the platinum jubilee of Kannada talkie cinema, would also be set up, he said.

Big events planned

Welcoming the gathering, the president of KFCC Jaimala said that the event was only a curtainraiser for a series of events to follow, to mark the platinum jubilee of Kannada talkie cinema. Producer Parvathamma Rajkumar presided over the function.

Felicitations

The veteran artistes B. Saroja Devi and K.S. Ashwath, artiste Umasri, Srinath and Doddarange Gowda (MLCs), directors Girish Kasaravalli, Lingadevaru, Master Kishan and Anand P. Raj, producers H.M. Ramachandra, Madhu Bangarappa, Shailaja Srikanth and K. Dhanaraj were felicitated on the occasion.

Stars attend

Glittering stars of yesteryears such as Kanchana, Krishna Kumari, Jayanthi, Bharathi and Sumithra and veteran director K.S.L. Swamee were also present.

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