CBFC CEO Ravinder Bhakar takes charge of NFDC, Films Division and CFSI

As part of the government's stated aim to unify its various film bodies into one organization, CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) chief executive officer Ravinder Bhakar will take charge of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Children's Film Society of India (CFSI) and the Films Division.

A release issued by the Press Information Bureau of the ministry said, 'Mr Bhakar, a 1999-batch officer of the Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS), has been assigned these charges in addition to his present duties as CEO of the film certification body. With this, all film-related departments of the ministry [that are] headquartered in Mumbai have come under a single command.'

The release quoted Bhakar saying, "The move is expected to smoothen the ongoing process of merger of Films Division and CFSI with NFDC, which is undergoing major reforms in its structure and functioning."

He said the well-defined structuring of the reformed corporation, in alignment with the requirements of the film industry, would be the primary item on his agenda, along with the interests of the employees of the departments being merged.

The positions of director general, Films Division, and CEO, CFSI, were previously held by Smita Vats Sharma. The decision comes on the back of the ministry's announcement last year to bring different government-funded film organizations under one branch.

Last month, when Cinestaan.com met Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur on the sidelines of the 52nd International Film Festival of India in Goa, he had said, without getting into details, that the merger plan was 'underway' and would be announced soon.