Grant to Films - Films in Hindi and the Languages Listed in 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India

What is the Grant to Films scheme in Uttarakhand?

Grant to Films for films in Hindi and the languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India is a production incentive under the Uttarakhand Film Policy 2024, launched in March 2024 and administered by the Uttarakhand Film Development Council (UFDC) under the Department of Information and Public Relations. It is clause 6(2) of the policy, one of five grant classes that also cover regional Uttarakhandi languages and dialects, large-budget films, foreign language films, and TV serials and web series.

The policy's stated aim is to make Uttarakhand a favourable film shooting destination, generate employment through shooting, exhibition and tourism, strengthen the local film industry, boost the income of local artists and promote regional films. Under the policy the Council also runs a single window system that issues shooting permission online, at no cost, within a maximum of two weeks. Uttarakhand has been recognised as the Most Film-Friendly State at the 66th National Film Awards, and productions facilitated by the Council include Badhaai Do and Sam Bahadur.

For the purposes of this grant, the policy defines "Hindi and other languages" as the languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

How much grant does a Hindi or 8th Schedule language film get?

The base grant under clause 6(2) is:

• 30 per cent of the expenditure incurred within Uttarakhand, or up to Rs 3 crore, whichever is less.

On top of the base grant, the policy adds:

• Children's films: an additional 10 per cent over and above the sanctioned subsidy amount.
• New hill locations: an additional 5 per cent of the sanctioned grant for a producer who shot the film for a minimum of seven days at new shooting locations in the hilly areas of the state, on terms determined by the Council. New shooting locations are selected and finalised by the Council in consultation with the Uttarakhand Department of Tourism.
• Authentic location names: a further 5 per cent of the sanctioned grant for using the authentic, real names of Uttarakhand locations in the film.
• Lead cast payment: where one or more of the five actors or actresses in an Indian film in Hindi or another language is cast in a main role, up to Rs 10 lakh or their actual remuneration, whichever is less, is paid to that actor or actress. The Council's determination of eligibility and applicability is final.

The policy also names five main categories in the production of Indian films in Hindi and other languages for incentive purposes: cinematography, art direction, sound direction and engineering, music direction, and editing.

The maximum sanctioned amount in every case is assessed by the Council on the basis of the quality and technical aspects of the film. The ceilings are upper limits, not entitlements.

Who is eligible for the Grant to Films?

A producer can claim the grant if:

• The film is in Hindi or a language listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
• 75 per cent of the film's shooting occurs in Uttarakhand, and 75 per cent of screen time is content shot in Uttarakhand.
• The film is shot at a minimum resolution of 4K with sound quality of Dolby Digital or higher.
• The film holds a Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board) certificate.
• The producer holds a shooting permission letter issued by the Council.
• The film was shown or premiered on a minimum of 50 cinema screens for one week, excluding OTT broadcasts, with a certificate to that effect. A film broadcast on an OTT platform approved by the Council is also eligible, with a copy of the OTT agreement attached.
• Every filming location within the state where the film was shot is included in the credits roll.
• At least 90 per cent of the total expense of the film was paid through bank, cheque, online medium, internet banking, UPI or other digital mediums.
• The claim is supported by a statement of in-state expenditure with invoices and bills and a chartered accountant's certificate.

A producer is not eligible if:

• Less than 75 per cent of shooting or screen time is in Uttarakhand.
• There is no CBFC certificate or no Council shooting permission letter.
• The film did not achieve the 50-screen, one-week theatrical release and is not on a Council-approved OTT platform.
• The film's technical standard is below 4K resolution or below Dolby Digital sound.
• Cash expenditure exceeds 10 per cent of total expenditure. Cash is strongly discouraged and permitted only in unavoidable circumstances on a chartered accountant's certification.
• The claim is for marketing, promotion or release spending. Only production expenses incurred within the state are eligible.
• The claim is for expenditure incurred outside Uttarakhand.

Note that a film in an Uttarakhandi regional language or dialect is not covered by this clause. It falls under clause 6(1), which is more generous to 50 per cent of in-state expenditure or up to Rs 2 crore, whichever is less, with a lighter release condition of five cinema screens rather than 50.

What documents does a grant claim need?

How to apply for the Grant to Films in Uttarakhand

1. Take shooting permission first. Apply online through the Council's single window system for the locations you intend to shoot at. All departments give their consent or recommendation to the Council within one week, and the Council gives online approval within a maximum of two weeks. The permission letter is issued online by the Council's nodal officer and is valid for all public locations in the state.
2. Shoot the film, keeping at least 75 per cent of shooting and 75 per cent of screen time in Uttarakhand, at 4K resolution and Dolby Digital or better sound, and paying at least 90 per cent of costs through banking or digital channels.
3. Include every Uttarakhand filming location in the credits roll, and use the authentic names of locations if you want the additional 5 per cent.
4. Obtain the CBFC certificate and complete the theatrical release on at least 50 cinema screens for one week, or a broadcast on a Council-approved OTT platform.
5. Prepare the expenditure statement of all production spending incurred inside Uttarakhand, with invoices and bills, and have a chartered accountant certify it, including confirmation that cash spending is within 10 per cent.
6. Submit the grant proposal to the Uttarakhand Film Development Council, with the shooting permission letter, CBFC certificate, expenditure statement, CA certificate, release certificate and, where applicable, the OTT agreement and domicile certificates.
7. Your proposal is examined by the Council's technical committee, then by the finance committee, which recommends to the Vice Chairman and Chairman. The final decision is taken by the Chairman / Chief Minister.

Films are considered for shooting done in Uttarakhand between 1 January and 31 December of a year. The grant is paid to the film producer or their duly authorised representative, whether an individual or an institution.

What a shoot in Uttarakhand costs

The policy removes most state charges from a production budget:

• No state government fee for shooting anywhere in Uttarakhand, and no other state department may charge a fee.
• Forest Department shooting charges abolished, except at Rajaji National Park and Corbett National Park, where prescribed rates still apply.
• Parking fees already fixed for a location remain payable by the producer.
• Five police officers free of charge at the shooting location for the duration of the shoot, on request to the Senior Superintendent or Superintendent of Police; officers beyond five are provided at specified rates.
• 50 per cent rebate on Garhwal Mandal residential facilities for location recce, as an added incentive to scout new locations.

Transition from the earlier film policy

The Uttarakhand Film Policy 2024 replaced the earlier 2015 policy, as amended in 2019. Under clause 22(3), a film authorised to shoot within one year of the 2024 policy's commencement could choose between the 2015 policy (as amended in 2019) and the 2024 policy, with strict adherence required to whichever option was selected. All prior notifications concerning the State Film Development Council and the Regional Film Development Council stood cancelled on the 2024 notification. Later modifications or relaxations to the policy may be made with the Chief Minister's approval.

Grievance and contact

• Uttarakhand Film Development Council: ufdc.uk.gov.in, email ufdc2015@gmail.com.
• Nodal Officer, Uttarakhand Film Development Council — the officer who issues shooting permission and receives grant proposals; a nodal officer is nominated from Grade 1 level for Council work.
• Director General, Information / Chief Executive Officer of the Council. The authority that issues permission letters with conditions and that chairs the finance committee.

Shooting permission under the single window system is free, and the Council publishes the location scouting form and line producer registration form on its website for producers planning a shoot.