Producers can now get permission from the Animal Welfare Board of India online. The AWBI has only one office — in Gurgaon — because of which it was difficult for producers to get clearance from it for the use of animals in their films.
However, the AWBI now has a portal (www.awbi.in) on which producers can apply for permission online. The FICCI, CII and IMPPA have been instrumental in getting this much-needed relief for producers. The IMPPA, which had been following up with the department of animal husbandry and dairying as also with the I & B ministry, has asked its members to take advantage of the portal and stop sending offline applications henceforth for permissions.
The fee for non-performing animals has been reduced to Rs. 5,000.
It may be mentioned here that the AWBI portal is linked to the CBFC portal at the backend. A helpline is also being set up for providing clarifications to film producers regarding the process of online permission.