Telangana government to take control over online movie ticket sales

According to sources, the Central government too directed all the State governments to start the online sale of movie tickets under the control of government bodies like FDC. 
Image of a multiplex used for representational purposes only. (Photo | File)
Image of a multiplex used for representational purposes only. (Photo | File)

HYDERABAD: An exclusive portal for the sale of movie tickets will be launched very shortly by the Telangana state government under the supervision of the State Film Development Corporation (FDC). All the private online ticket sellers will be routed through the FDC site.

This will have two benefits. First, the black marketing of tickets will be avoided. Second, the government will get Goods and Services Taxes (GST) without evasion.

In an informal chat with reporters at the lobbies of the Assembly on Saturday, Cinematography Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said that the government would take the control of online ticket sales. He said that some private online portal organisers were not showing the actual accounts for the sale of tickets and not paying the GST due to the State government. Once, the FDC portal was launched, all the private online movie ticket sites would be compulsorily routed through the FDC site. This will give no scope for the evasion of GST.

According to sources, the Central government too directed all the State governments to start the online sale of movie tickets under the control of government bodies like FDC. Accordingly, several states like Tamil Nadu initiated the process. Telangana too will follow the same model very shortly. The film industry too is not against the online sale of tickets by FDC.

Talasani said that the State government was studying the new model and discussing with the stakeholders. If the sale of tickets were routed through the FDC site, the accounts would be accurate and the government would get its share of GST. Talasani even had reservations over the faulty accounts being submitted by several sites like Book My Show.

The Minister also recalled that the government conducted raids on the race course thus, the betting tax increased from Rs 30 lakh in the past to Rs 3 crore now, per year. He averred that once FDC's online portal was launched, the income through GST on movie tickets would increase considerably. The GST on movie tickets is currently 28 per cent.
 

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