EXCLUSIVE: AVGC 2.0 policy to be implemented by January’25: Telangana IT Minister
Telangana IT Minister, D. Sridhar Babu told Storyboard18 that AVGC 2.0 would be more attractive for start-ups and for innovation, at an event. He also said that responsible gaming and ethical considerations will be kept in mind while framing the policy.
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To promote the growth of the animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC) sector in India, Telangana is planning to implement and execute the AVGC 2.0 policy by January, 2025.
Telangana IT Minister, D. Sridhar Babu confirmed the development to Storyboard18, during a press meeting at the 16th edition of the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) which is being organised by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI). The conference is taking place from November 13-15 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).
Addressing Storyboard18’s queries, the Minister also informed the media that the State is also pitching to have a Center of Excellence in Telangana.
Storyboard18 was the first to break the news that Telangana will soon be the first state in India to consider introducing comprehensive esports policies and address critical issues including taxation on esports prize pools, distinguishing between skill-based and chance-based games, and regulating gaming content creators.
“2.0 would be more attractive for start-ups and innovation in a big way so that they become the major global entrepreneurs of tomorrow. We would like to attract a majority of investment coming here, and we just have appealed to the central government to give all the assistance required for state, and we shall move from there,” he added.
The Minister also mentioned that the state is trying to keep in mind the responsible gaming and ethical considerations while framing this AVGC 2.0 policy.
“We (government) are accountable and responsible for the people who made us elected and come into governance. Not much of their interest is being affected. We have seen couple of experiences show us where gaming can really pull people to the other end. Therefore, we would like to come up with the ethical consideration and responsible policy. The committee and experts are already sitting on it.”
“We will try to come up with the policy in the first quarter of 2025— in January”
Stating his confidence in the gaming sector, Babu said that India is an emerging player in the global gaming industry and therefore States see healthy competition among themselves.
Further, he added, “ …our government is also trying to promote small teams and that's how we are planning to come up with a 2.0 policy. We are coming up with a gaming hub and the hub of innovation in the third quarter of 2025— where we will host innovation and start-ups.
During the meeting, the Minister also highlighted the venture capital (VC) ecosystem is not so strong, at the moment and therefore the government is trying to pull up policy initiatives in trying to attract VC firms to come and settle in Telangana.
“We have a huge market in the global arena and not much competition, we have to trade ourselves between all these States. We will try to seek more investment.”
The Minister informed the media that the State is also pitching to have a Center of Excellence in Telangana.
“In South India, technology occupies a pivotal place and when it comes to gaming, I can bet that we are the pioneers and we would take a lead,” he shared.
It is to be noted that the Telangana government has recently announced the establishing of Young India Skills University which will offer courses in six verticals and aims to train 2,000 students this year, expanding to 10,000 students next year.
“When the talent is there, automatically the industries and companies would come over…” said Babu.
