The Central Circuit Cine Association has written to the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, for his government’s intervention to help the cinema industry which is in dire straits following the lockdown from March. In particular, the CCCA has asked the government to issue instructions to the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board and all the licencees in the state while raising energy bills from March 2020 onwards upto September 2020 to:
(1) waive fixed charges and minimum charges for the lockdown period;
(2) levy energy charges based on actual consumption of energy units;
(3) extend payment period for electricity bills of March, April and May 2020 upto 30th June, 2020, without any interest or delayed payment charges.
The letter, dated 7th May, also asks the government to ensure that the property tax and lease rent of cinemas in the state should also be waived for three years for their survival in the state. It explains that the cinema industry would take very long to come back on track as the public may take a year to return to the cinemas in full force due to fear of being infected by the coronavirus.