Pune's FTII to be 'institute of national importance'

New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The Pune-based Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) will soon be declared an 'Institute of National Importance' by the government, the Lok Sabha was told Tuesday.

"The government has taken steps to declare the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, as 'Institute of National Importance' through an act in parliament," Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said.

Tewari was responding to a question by S.S. Ramasubbu, who had asked whether the government proposed to upgrade FTII into an independent university.

Tewari replied in the negative when Ramasubbu inquired whether the government also proposed to create a welfare fund for the benefit of students and set up a research centre in the new FTII campus.

"The course fee at FTII is significantly subsidised. Apart from this, the institute also offers scholarships to students. Promoting research in film, television and allied subjects has been envisaged as one of the objectives of the institute in the proposed act of parliament," Tewari said in his reply.