State plans industry status for gaming

The animation and gaming industry may soon be granted industry status as per a proposal made by the state. This will ensure they get benefits akin to those available to IT units.

The animation and gaming industry may soon be granted industry status as per a proposal made by the state. This will ensure they get benefits akin to those available to IT units.

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Besides these sectors, the state will also extend the same benefits to two more related segments—visual effects and comics, said a senior official.

“There is a lot of potential in the animation, visual-effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) space. We want to prepare a specific policy to promote these sectors as a separate industry," the State's Development Commissioner (Industries) Sanjay Sethi told PTI.

A task force comprising the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), NASSCOM and experts from the field, are working on the policy.

"We have recommended that the State should encourage development of AVGC parks by providing incentives like additional Financial Sector Incentive (FSI), tax benefits and making electricity available at cheaper rates, among others," MCCIA's Joint Chairman Ashish Kulkarni said.