Kolkata: The Indian film and entertainment sector, which has posted a four fold rise in export earnings since 1998, is in dire need of technical manpower, Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj said urging private bodies and state governments to contribute in the process of creating more 'entertainment experts'.

"Quality manpower has always been our strong point but we need more entertainment experts with technically upgraded know-how," she said at the first convocation ceremony of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI).

Swaraj said the Centre alone could not open training institutes to meet the enormous manpower needs. State governments and private bodies must also chip in to provide technical education at affordable costs.

"With the importance on information, communication and entertainment (ICE) growing every day, India's exports in the film and entertainment sector have risen from Rs 200 crore in 1998 to Rs 900 crore in 2001," she said.

Outlining the phenomenal growth in the sector, Swaraj said, 77 television channels had chosen to uplink from India and 16 teleports were licensed in the last four years.

The Union Minister said despite the teething troubles, SRFTI, functioning under her ministry, had blossomed into a professional institute and its students had proved their mettle in international film festival circuits.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee said the state government had constituted a film inquiry committee to identify the problems 'plaguing the state's film industry' and come out with practical solutions.

PTI