These steps would go a long way in the growth of entertainment industry and stop the piracy menace, Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy said inaugurating the 25th Conference of State and UT Ministers of Information and Cinematography in New Delhi.
The Minister said if the entertainment tax rates are brought down they would result in better compliance. "The state governments need not fear reduction in the collection of entertainment tax if they reduce the rates," he said.
Turning to piracy, he said, any action plan to check the menace would not yield desired results unless state governments participate actively.
He also wanted state governments and Union Territory administrations to cooperate actively in effective implementation of Cable TV Network Regulation Act.
To facilitate timely collection of annual statements from publishers of newspapers, Reddy proposed that district information officers might also be authorised to collect such statements from the registered newspapers of their area and forward them to the Registrar of Newspapers of India for effective compliance.
The conference is an exercise by the Information Ministry to know the views and sensitise state governments on information, broadcasting and entertainment related issues.
The chief ministers of Haryana, Delhi and Assam and information ministers from 23 states and UTs are participating in the conference.
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