Karnataka govt proposes 2% cess on movie tickets, TV channels
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has proposed levying a 2 per cent cess on movie tickets and subscription fee of television entertainment channels to fund welfare schemes for cine and cultural activists, according to draft rules notified by the Labour Department.
The draft rules have been framed under the Karnataka Cine and Cultural Activists (Welfare) Act, 2024, enacted by the state legislature.
The Act provides for constituting a welfare board and establishing a fund to finance schemes for the social security and welfare of cine and cultural activists in the state.
The Act further provides for a 1-2 per cent cess on movie tickets and subscription fees to generate funds. The draft rules finalise the cess rate at 2 per cent, a notification dated September 24 stated.
"Two per cent cess on cinema tickets of all theatres, including multiplex theatres. Two per cent cess on total transaction of television entertainment channels operating in the State of Karnataka," the draft rules state.
Under the Act, cine and cultural activists in the age group of 18 to 60 years, belonging to certain categories, will have to register with the government.
According to the Act, a "Cine and Cultural Activist" means any person employed in the field of cinema to work as an artist (including actor, musician, or dancer) or to perform any work — skilled, unskilled, manual, supervisory, technical, artistic, or otherwise — or any person engaged in other activities as declared by the government.
Registered cine and cultural activists will be eligible for accident benefits in case of death or disability, medical reimbursement, natural death assistance to the nominee of the deceased (including funeral expenses), education assistance for children, maternity benefits, and pensions.
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Hyderabad–B’luru, Chennai-B’luru among seven high-speed rail corridors announced in budget
New Delhi: India will expand its high-speed rail network with seven new corridors as part of efforts to promote faster and environmentally sustainable passenger transport, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced while presenting the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament on Sunday.
Outlining the government’s infrastructure plans, Sitharaman said the proposed high-speed rail corridors are aimed at improving connectivity between major economic and cultural centres, while also helping reduce the carbon footprint of long-distance travel.
“The government proposes to develop environmentally sustainable passenger transport systems through seven high-speed rail corridors,” the finance minister said in her Budget speech.
According to the announcement, the identified routes include Mumbai–Pune, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi, Varanasi–Siliguri, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Chennai and Chennai–Bengaluru. These corridors are expected to link key metropolitan cities with fast-growing urban and industrial hubs.
