Movie tickets and OTT subscription to get costlier in Karnataka as state assembly passes bill to impose 2% additional cess

Moviegoers and OTT watchers in Karnataka will now have to shell out more money from their pockets as the state assembly has passed e Cine and Cultural Activists (Welfare) Bill of 2024, which imposes an additional 2 per cent cess on all movie tickets and OTT subscriptions. 

Along with that, the bill also gave guidelines to create a seven-member welfare board for cine workers and cultural activists. This board has been given the task of managing cess funds to support social security schemes.

Karnataka labour minister Santosh Lad wrote on X: “The Karnataka Cinema and Cultural Workers Welfare Bill - 2024 was introduced in the Assembly on Tuesday. At this time, many members of the House expressed their appreciation by giving suggestions and instructions about the bill. The bill was unanimously passed in the assembly."

He further said: "I am thankful to the honourable chief minister, deputy chief minister, honourable president of the assembly, cabinet colleagues, and all the members who consented to provide such a unique service to the servants of Kannada Goddess.”

'ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತರ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ವಿಧೇಯಕ - 2024' ವನ್ನು ಇಂದು ವಿಧಾನಪರಿಷತ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಮಂಡಿಸಿ, ಅಂಗೀಕಾರ ಪಡೆಯಲಾಯಿತು.

ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಹಾಗೂ ಇತರ ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅಸಂಘಟಿತರಾಗಿ ದುಡಿಯುವ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಸುಮಾರು 50 ಸಾವಿರಕ್ಕೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರಿಗೆ ಈ ಮಸೂದೆ ನೆರವಾಗಲಿದೆ.

ಈ ವಿಧೇಯಕವು ಸರ್ವಾನುಮತದಿಂದ… pic.twitter.com/KZWMieVEjB

— Santosh Lad Official (@SantoshSLadINC) July 25, 2024

As per the estimates of the Karnataka Film Workers Artists and Technicians Union around 2,355 workers, including artists and technicians, have been working in the industry.