Aizawl: Mizoram’s information & public relations minister B Lalchhanzova on Tuesday urged visiting Union minister of state for information & broadcasting and parliamentary affairs L Murugan to provide central assistance for setting up animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) content creator labs in 200 schools and 50 colleges in the state.Lalchhanzova and information & communication technology minister Vanlalthlana, accompanied by senior state govt officials, met the Union MoS at the Lengpui airport near Aizawl on his arrival, before departing for Kolasib district bordering Assam.Minister Lalchhanzova expressed hope that establishing AVGC content creator labs in educational institutions would enhance digital content creation and entrepreneurship among students.He also pushed for capacity-building of filmmakers in the state by organising training and skill-development programmes for Mizo filmmakers, with support from institutions such as the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII).Lalchhanzova appealed to Murugan for modernisation of cinema theatre infrastructure in the northeastern states, as well as for formulation of a scheme to establish new infrastructure in the sector across the region.He also advocated sanctioning funds for new state-led media projects in Mizoram from the 10% gross budgetary support (GBS) of the ministry of information & broadcasting. He also requested the Union MoS to continue providing institutional support to enable Mizo filmmakers’ participation in national and international film festivals.An official statement said Murugan gave a patient hearing to the requests made by Lalchhanzova and promised to take up the matters for early implementation.
