Parliament Question: Targets for Live Events Development Cell

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5380 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026) TARGETS FOR LIVE EVENTS DEVELOPMENT CELL 5380. SHRI MITESHBHAI RAMESHBHAI PATEL: SHRI HASMUKHBHAI SOMABHAI PATEL: Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state: (a) the details of targets set for the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC) in terms of employment generation and the size of the sector by 2030; (b) the manner in which the inaugural World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 has contributed to promoting international partnerships and engagement within the creative economy; (c) whether the Government is developing a single-window clearance system to simplify the process of obtaining permissions for organizing live events in major cities and if so, the details thereof; and (d) the date on which the first phase of operations of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) in Mumbai was officially inaugurated? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN) (a) to (d): India’s organised live events sector has emerged as a key growth segment within the broader media and entertainment sector. To promote this sector, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has set up a Live Events Development Cell (LEDC). It includesrepresentatives from Central Ministries, State Governments, industry bodies and other stakeholders. LEDC aims to position the concert economy as one of the key drivers of national growth. India is expected to become a global hub for live events by 2030 and, thus, generate 15–20 additional million jobs in this sector. LEDC has taken steps to promote the sector through digital integration, infrastructure development and regulatory reforms. A single-window clearance system, through the India Cine Hub (ICH) Portal, is aimed to simplify approvals by reducing the need to approach multiple authorities. Applications will be routed automatically to the concerned departments. The portal will map venues with relevant departments for expeditiously processing the permissions by the respective nodal officers. With integration across States and other institutions, the portal will enable time-bound approvals, provide real-time status updates, and ensure greater predictability for organisers. By organising the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, India became the first country in the world to establish a comprehensive global platform encompassing the entire media and entertainment (M&E) ecosystem. With a dynamic blend of exhibitions, high-level panel discussions and B2B engagements, WAVES saw an exceptional response and firmly reinforced India’s emergence as a global powerhouse in the M&E sector. It brought together over one lakh delegates from more than 100 countries, including policymakers, industry leaders, creators, investors and technology innovators. The event significantly deepened international partnerships and dialogue within the global creative economy. Initiatives such as the Create in India Challenge (CIC) and WaveX further expanded global engagement of creative talent and startups, fostering innovation and investment.Overall, WAVES 2025 emerged as a structured and high-impact platform for policy exchange, industry collaboration and deeper global integration of India’s media and entertainment sector. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) has been established as a centre of excellence for the AVGC-XR sector (Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality). It focuses on skill development, innovation and industry collaboration for AVGC- XR sector. The first phase of IICT’s operations started on 18 July 2025 at the IICT–National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) campus in Mumbai. *****