Announce sops to film industry: Parchuri Gopala Krishna

Visakhapatnam: Chairman of Telugu Movie Artistes Coordination Committee Parchuri Gopala Krishna said that with lack of encouragement from the government, Telugu film industry is not in a mood to shift to Visakhapatnam. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is not giving neither assurances nor promises to attract the industry to the state, he pointed out. Except forming a committee, the Chief Minister is not yet announced or assured benefits to the industry, if it shifts from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam, he pointed out.

Parchuri Gopala Krishna is in the city to take part in a three-day workshop to promote enthusiastic writers. Speaking on the occasion at the third day of the workshop, he said that the state government should announce its stand to attract the film industry to the state.  

"When the industry shifted from Chennai to Hyderabad, the then Chief Minister and Andhra Pradesh government had taken measures to promote the industry in Hyderabad. 

The government had given tax concession and free permission for shootings at any location in the state. The government also allotted lands for various cinema related constructions in Hyderabad. But, similar promotion is not visible in the state. The government should convene a meeting with people of the film industry, he said.The producers in the Telugu industry are facing tough times to obtain permission for shootings in the state. 

There are many beautiful locations in the state. But the producers are scared to shoot the films in the state due to the taxation and other restrictions. Visakhapatnam is having a large number of best locations and a movie can be finished here where as in Hyderabad all the shootings would be done in the studios only.