FM holds pre-Budget talks with film industry delegation

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today met film industry delegation, accompanied by Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni, as part of his pre-Budget consultations.

"The delegation consisted of about 20 members including Yash Chopra, Ramesh Sippy and Mukesh Bhatt, all representing Films and Producers Guild," an official statement said.

Besides, FICCI Secretary General Amit Mitra, L Suresh, Vice President of Film Federation of India, UTV Group CFO Rajeev Waghle, CFO of Reliance Big Films Subhashish Sarkar and Zee Tele films CEO Puneet Goenka, among others, were also part of the delegation.

The representatives of different forums of film industry gave their suggestions for consideration and inclusion in the forthcoming General Budget for 2011-12, which is to be unveiled on February 28.

These consultations are an annual exercise conducted by the Finance Minister before the Budget.

Earlier this year, Mukherjee met finance ministers of states and representatives of India Inc, agriculturalists, economists, bankers,financial regulators, NGOs, among others to seek their inputs in formulating the Budget.