The I&B Ministry held a conference with state/UT officials to strengthen India's creative economy. Discussions focused on the WAVES 2027 roadmap, expanding Public Service Broadcasting, and promoting user-generated content on the WAVES OTT platform.
Key issues including the roadmap for WAVES 2027, expansion of Public Service Broadcasting infrastructure and promotion of user-generated creative content on the WAVES OTT platform were discussed at a national conference of secretaries of information and public relations departments of states and Union Territories in the national capital on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening India's creative economy and media ecosystem.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) organised the conference, which also discussed implementation of the Right of Way (RoW) mechanism for cable operators by state governments, strengthening of WAVES Bazaar and market access, expansion of Public Service Broadcasting infrastructure, promotion of user-generated creative content on the WAVES OTT platform, two-way integration of the Indian Cine Hub (ICH) and Film Facilitation Office (FFO) portals, and adoption of the single-window ICH portal for film shooting and live event permissions.
Key Areas of Deliberation
As per the ministry, the conference also deliberated on strengthening Public Service Broadcasting through content co-production, state-specific programming and enhanced public outreach; promotion of the live events sector; capacity building of DIPR officers through IIMC training facilities; transition to the digital framework under the Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act, 2023 through the Press Sewa Portal; and strengthening of libraries through the supply of books to state governments under the Samagra Shiksha framework.
The conference also deliberated on issues relating to Public Service Broadcasting, the live events sector, capacity building of DIPR officers, digital transformation in the media and publication sector and public outreach initiatives.
Vision for Centre-State Collaboration
In a statement, the Ministry said the conference brought together senior officials from the Centre and states to deliberate on key initiatives and strengthen coordination in the fields of information, broadcasting, media and the creative economy. Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Chanchal Kumar, chaired the conference and interacted with participating state and UT officials during the deliberations.
Referring to the vision of the Prime Minister under which India's soft power and creative economy have been placed among the Saptdhara, the seven streams of national progress, the secretary underlined the need for stronger and more structured cooperation between the Centre and states to harness India's creative potential and strengthen public communication. He said the creative economy, encompassing culture, creativity and commerce, has the potential to generate employment, attract investment and enhance India's global influence.
Leveraging Regional Strengths
Highlighting the diverse strengths of states and UTs, the secretary said there cannot be a single model for the growth of the creative economy. He emphasised that the cultural strengths, institutional capabilities and regional talent of every state and UT must be leveraged to realise its creative potential. He also highlighted areas for enhanced Centre-state collaboration, including infrastructure, ease of doing business, capacity building, regional content and creative ecosystems.
National Platforms and State Feedback
As per the ministry, national platforms such as WAVES 2027, WAVES Bazaar, WaveX and the Create in India Challenges could provide creators and start-ups from across the country greater access to markets, investors, technology and global partnerships.
Participating state and UT officials shared their experiences and concerns regarding the implementation of various initiatives and discussed ways to further strengthen coordination and engagement with the ministry. The need for capacity building at the state level was also highlighted, with states seeking greater support from the ministry through enhanced communication, engagement and regular conferences. The officials also expressed their willingness to collaborate more closely with the Ministry and actively participate in strengthening the Orange Economy.
Call for Enhanced Coordination
The secretary also called for closer coordination between PIB Regional offices, state Information and Public Relations Departments, and regional units of Doordarshan and Akashvani for state-specific content and outreach. He reiterated that the ministry remains open to new ideas, state-led initiatives and partnership models to strengthen the creative economy and improve public communication. (ANI)
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