Karnataka govt proposes welfare cess on movie tickets for cine workers’ welfare

Bengaluru: The Congress government is proposing a new welfare cess on movie tickets, subscription fees and all revenue generated from theatres, multiplexes, over-the-top (OTT) platforms and television channels for the benefit of cine artistes. 

The welfare cess will be 1-2 per cent of ticket prices and subscription fees, according to the Karnataka Cine and Cultural Activists (Welfare) Bill introduced in the Assembly. 

The Bill proposes to constitute a welfare board and establish a fund to finance social security measures for cine and cultural activists in the state. 

The Bill defines 'cine and cultural activist' as "any person who is employed in relation to the field of cinema to work as an artist (including actor, musician or dancer) or to do any work, skilled, unskilled, manual supervisory, technical, artistic or otherwise or any person who is being engaged in such other activities as declared by the government." 

Under the proposed law, the government will set up a Karnataka Cine and Cultural Activists' Welfare Board. This Board will register all cine and cultural activists, each of whom will get a unique ID. The Board will also formulate social security schemes for them. 

The new cess will go into the Karnataka Cine and Cultural Activists Social Security and Welfare Fund. The fund will also get money from contributions made by registered cine and cultural activists, grants-in-aid, gifts/donations, profit/interest/dividend on any investment or share made by the Board etc. 

The government will also set up a grievance redressal mechanism for cine and cultural activists.