Security beefed up in Goa for IFFI

Panaji, Nov 2 (UNI) With the 11-day 37th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) beginning here from November 23, security was beefed up and two companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were deployed in the coastal belts.

Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane assured of providing adequate security and the State police was kept on high alert.

The beaches in the State were kept under police vigil, while hotels and guest houses were directed to exercise precaution. Entry into the main venue of the IFFI will be restricted and people subjected to thorough checks.

The Chief Minister was speaking at a function to unveil the IFFI Goa-2006 poster and launching the official website www.iffigoa.org here today in presence of film actors Riya Sen, Soha Ali Khan and director Aditya Raj Kapoor.

Mr Rane presented a cheque for Rs 21,000 to Delhi-based polytechnic student Shivaji Sharma who designed the IFFI poster that was selected in an all India competition.

Mr Rane stressed that the festival would be a better event this time than before in terms of logistics and will see involvement of cinema personalities from different states. The theme of the festival this year is ''Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (The whole world is one family)''.

Nandini Paliwal, chief excecutive officer of the Entertainment Society of Goa, the nodal agency for conducting the event on behalf of the State, said the film bazaar to be conducted by the confederation of Indian Industry will be different and a special loungue is being created for marketing of films.

The National Film Development Corporation had announced special schemes for film production in the country. Other events include holding of a Konkani Music Concert and launching of new films.

Chief secretary J P Singh said IFFI would be handled in toto by the state government alone on a self-sustaining basis with effect from the year 2008 with the help of the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF).

The state might spend at least Rs 10 crore for the event and more than half of it was expected from sponsors as against Rs 1.75 crore in the previous year, he added.

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