MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has earmarked an outlay of Rs 20 million for carrying out an anti-piracy initiative in the audio-visual sector under the 12th 5-year plan from 2012-17.

Piracy continues to be a key challenge for the Indian film sector and has been a prime reason for decline of Home Video market in India. It is estimated by the FICCI-KPMG report for 2011 that the piracy market accounts for 600-700 million unit sales of DVDs each year with more than 10000 vendors operating in illegitimate DVD market. With increased competition within this sector, prices of pirated DVDs are declining as compared to previous years.

Another new emerging threat to legitimate exhibition of films is illegal download of films available on websites. The magnitude of this problem is set to increase in the coming years, given the expansion and availability of broadband infrastructure.

While digital technology on the one hand plays a significant role in accessibility of content across various new media platforms, the film sector faces a massive challenge of grappling with pirated software on web-based platforms in the current Indian environment where mechanisms for regulation of content on the Internet are non-existent.

According to the MIB, the money from piracy goes towards funding anti-national activities which makes the government intervention necessary. Hence, it has been envisaged to spread an awareness campaign against piracy in collaboration with stakeholders like business chambers, schools, and colleges.

Some of the major activities planned are as follows:
(a) Campaign on piracy through audio-visual, internet and print media;

(b) A dedicated web portal;

(c) Training programmes and workshops to sensitize police, judicial, administrative officials, multiplex and cinema hall owners about the Copyright Act;

(d) Conduct research on effects of piracy and develop public-private strategies to combat piracy;

(e) Production of a film/documentary;

(f) Efforts at inclusion of anti-piracy awareness material in the curriculum of the schools and colleges;

(g) Road shows/Street Plays for creating awareness;

(h) Programme in Schools & Colleges: Debate/Essay competition;

The planned activities will be implemented in collaboration with Business Chambers and NGOs, wherever possible.