Lapsed in force from 6 Apr 2017 Government Order Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Film and media post-productionSkilling and incubation

IMAGE Policy 2016

Telangana IMAGE (Animation and Gaming) Policy 2016, with Operational Guidelines · Gaming & Animation Policy 2016 (the issuer’s file name). IMAGE expands to Innovation in Multimedia, Animation, Gaming & Entertainment.

Instrument
G.O.Ms.No.03, ITE&C (Promotions) Department, 6 Apr 2017 1 p.1
Issued by
ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana
Reviewed
23 Oct 2026

Intent

Make Hyderabad the most favoured destination for investment in animation, visual effects, gaming and comics, through infrastructure, skills and a list of capped incentives.

Source 2 p.13 1 p.5

Mechanism

  1. 1 Qualify A company registered with the ROC gets power-cut, pollution-law and inspection exemptions automatically, and can self-certify under six Acts. 1 p.13
  2. 2 Apply One Common Application Form goes to ITE&C, which scrutinises it and places it before a joint committee chaired by the Principal Secretary. 1 p.15 1 p.27
  3. 3 Decide The committee accepts or rejects each claim. Eligibility confers no right, sanction depends on budget, and the G.O. bars challenge in court. 1 p.15 1 p.16 1 p.19
  4. 4 Build and skill TSIIC is to create infrastructure and manage land. TASK is to deliver skilling. 2 p.17 2 pp.19-20
Policy term
5 years from 6 Apr 2017
Term ended about April 2022
G.O. para 23. Ended about Apr 2022; no extension found
2026-10-23 Derived Instrument 1 p.14
AVGC headcount, state claim
About 30,000
  1. 30,000+ Jun 2023
  2. ~30,000 Mar 2025
  3. ~30,000 2026
Round figure, no target, method or baseline
2026 Source Official claim 10 p.24 11 p.108 12 p.142
IMAGE Tower, planned area
16 lakh sq ft
  1. 6 lakh 2017
  2. 16 lakh by Mar 2023
A plan on PPP terms. Was 6 lakh sq ft in 2017. No built area reported
by Mar 2023 Source Official claim 4 7 p.19
Incentives sanctioned
Not reported
No source gives claims filed, sanctioned or paid. The policy sets no target.
No source gives claims filed, sanctioned or paid
2026-10-23 Derived Official claim

Signals

The questions readers ask, answered in 25 words or fewer. Open "Why" for the reasoning.

  1. Key signal · Finding Derived Instrument

    Is the IMAGE Policy still in force?

    No, it lapsed

    The G.O. gave the policy five years from 6 April 2017, so its term ended about April 2022. No extension or successor was found.

    Why

    Para 23 of G.O.Ms.No.03 says the policy "shall be in force for a period of 5 years from the date of issue"; the guidelines apply only "within the validity period of the IMAGE Policy". The policy PDF alone states no end date, only "in force from the date of issue", and it was launched a year earlier, on 4 April 2016. The order register was not searched, and the department’s downloads page still lists the policy.

    1 p.14 1 p.18 2 p.26 5 PolicyLegalInvestor Trajectory →
  2. Caution Derived Official claim

    Did the sector reach the policy’s 30,000-professional target?

    No target exists

    The policy sets no 30,000 target. The state repeats 30,000 as a headcount: jobs created in 2023, people employed in 2025 and 2026.

    Why

    AR 2022-23 says "over 30,000 jobs have been created since the inception of IMAGE policy". SEO 2025 and SEO 2026 say Hyderabad employs about 30,000 and name no policy. A count of jobs created and a count of people employed differ, and no source gives a method or baseline.

    10 p.24 11 p.108 12 p.142 2 p.13 1 p.5 ResearchPolicy Evidence →
  3. Caution Derived Official claim

    Is the 16 lakh sq ft "IMAGE City" real?

    No, a Tower figure

    The 16 lakh sq ft is the IMAGE Tower’s planned area. The policy gives IMAGE City no size, and no later source mentions it.

    Why

    The department page gives the Tower 16 lakh sq ft built-up and Rs 945 crore on a PPP basis, with text unchanged since March 2023. The 2017 annual report gave 6 lakh sq ft and Rs 570 crore. Both are plans; no source reports area built.

    4 7 p.19 2 p.17 12 p.142 ResearchInvestor Evidence →
  4. Open Derived Official claim

    Has the state built the IMAGE Tower?

    Not reported

    A 2017 report promised the Tower by 2018. Later sources say "upcoming" (2023) and "is being developed" (2026). None states a build status or date.

    Why

    AR 2022-23 says the "upcoming Innovation Campus" will be completed "with the inauguration of the IMAGE Towers". SEO 2026 places the Tower at Raidurgam Village under a PPP model. No tender, start date, contractor or spend appears in any source read.

    7 p.19 10 p.3 10 p.24 12 p.142 4 ResearchInvestor Watch →
  5. Finding Source Instrument

    If my company meets the eligibility terms, do I get the incentive?

    Not an entitlement

    A joint committee chaired by the Principal Secretary, ITE&C accepts or rejects each claim. Eligibility confers no right, and the G.O. bars any court challenge.

    Why

    Annexure-I says meeting the terms "does not confer any right" (go p.19) and that sanction depends on "availability of budget/resources" (go p.15, p.19). Para 4.12 says the Government’s decision is final and that no challenge "in any court of law" is entertained. The guidelines set no processing deadline, only "best efforts".

    1 p.15 1 p.16 1 p.19 1 p.27 1 p.43 InvestorLegal Provisions →
  6. Caution Derived Instrument

    Are AVGC companies an essential service?

    Instruments disagree

    The policy text declares AVGC an essential service. The G.O.’s guidelines say the orders "are currently under issue". No issued order was found.

    Why

    G.O. para 20(VIII)(i)(f) repeats the declaration, yet guidelines para 7 says orders are "currently under issue" and that AVGC "will be treated under ESMA at par/Equivalent to IT Industry". Guidelines para 9 says the same of orders on working conditions. The department’s order page lists no such order, and the order register was not searched.

    2 p.26 1 p.13 1 p.18 6 LegalInvestor Provisions →
  7. Finding Derived Instrument

    Does the policy give firms outside Hyderabad better terms?

    Land terms only

    Only land terms differ: Rs 15 crore turnover and 100 staff in Tier-II cities, Rs 50 crore and 500 in Hyderabad. No allotment is reported.

    Why

    The G.O. gives Warangal, Karimnagar, Mahboobnagar and Khammam as examples of Tier-II cities. A full read of its annexures found no other incentive that varies by location. Tier-II land also carries lighter obligations: 100 professionals and 15,000 sq ft per acre, against 250 and 25,000.

    1 p.8 1 p.42 1 p.43 PolicyResearch Provisions →

Provisions

Source
Term
Five years from the date of issue of the G.O. Guidelines run "within the validity period". 1 p.14 1 p.18
Capital investment subsidy
25%, capped at Rs 25 lakh (Rs 35 lakh for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs), once, for investment above Rs 5 crore creating 50 or more jobs, by a company in operation for two years. 1 p.10 1 p.12
Production-cost reimbursement Unclear
20% cash back (40% for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs) if 80% of production cost is in Telangana. Caps per year, per company: Rs 10 lakh a film, Rs 5 lakh a series, Rs 5 lakh a game, Rs 10 lakh a VFX film (Rs 15, 10, 10 and 15 lakh at the higher rate), for three years. Games need 2 lakh downloads or an award. The film threshold is 90 minutes in the policy and 60 in the G.O., and the G.O. also says "greater than 90 minutes". 1 p.10 1 p.12 1 p.35 2 p.22
Stamp duty, transfer duty and registration fee
100% back on the first transaction; 50% on the second (75% for SC/ST and women). Not available with Government land. 1 p.11 1 p.12
Lease-rent subsidy
25% up to Rs 5 lakh a year (50% up to Rs 8 lakh at the higher rate), three years, up to 25,000 sq ft. 1 p.11 1 p.12
Recruitment assistance
Rs 15 lakh for 100 employees within two years, half of them of Telangana origin. 1 p.11
Power
Industrial tariff, and open-access renewable energy up to one third of load. The committee considers power applications one financial year after commercial operations begin. 1 p.11 1 p.28
Smaller reimbursements
Quality certification 20% up to Rs 4 lakh; stall rent 50% up to Rs 5 lakh a year; internet bandwidth up to Rs 2 lakh a year for three years; higher rates for SC/ST and women. Entertainment tax exemption for a full VFX or animation theatre film. 1 p.11 1 p.12 1 p.13
Mega projects Unclear
A negotiated package with no figures. The G.O. defines a mega project two ways: turnover over Rs 50 crore with an investment proposal above Rs 50 crore, or 750 employees and Rs 75 crore for three years. 1 p.6 1 p.11 1 p.43
Land
Hyderabad applicants need Rs 50 crore turnover and 500 staff; Tier-II applicants Rs 15 crore and 100. Obligations per acre: 250 professionals and 25,000 sq ft (Hyderabad), 100 and 15,000 (Tier-II), within three years. Allotment is "at the sole discretion of the Government". 1 p.8 1 p.42 1 p.43
Automatic facilitation
Exemption from statutory power cuts and the Pollution Control Act (except generator sets); inspection exemption with self-certificates under six Acts; three-shift operation with women at night, subject to police safety norms. 1 p.13
Essential service Unclear
Declared in the text. The guidelines say the orders are "currently under issue". 1 p.13 1 p.18
Joint committee (CCAVCGI)
Twenty seats, four from industry, chaired by the ITE&C Principal Secretary. It accepts, rejects or defers claims. 1 p.27
Retrospective reach
Stamp-duty and recruitment incentives apply to companies that began operations from 4 Apr 2016. 1 p.16
Promises with no budget or date Unclear
An Academy, a Digital Content Commission, a Skill Development Council, a venture-capital mechanism, an IP Protection and Consumer Privacy Act committee, and a request to Government of India for 5 to 15% airtime reservation. 2 pp.19-21 1 p.16

Who it affects

  • AVGC companies registered with the ROC Benefit Automatic exemptions and self-certification. 1 p.13
  • Studios producing films, series, games or VFX Benefit Capped reimbursements, with conditions. 1 p.10
  • SC/ST and women entrepreneurs (more than 51% shareholding) Benefit Higher rates on most incentives. 1 p.6 1 p.12
  • Companies seeking Government land Duty + benefit Thresholds and per-acre employment and construction duties; no stamp-duty reimbursement on allotted land. 1 p.8 1 p.11
  • Training institutions Benefit Industrial power tariff and open access if TASK-certified or university-affiliated. 1 p.11
  • TSIIC Mandate Nodal agency for infrastructure and land. 2 p.17
  • TASK Mandate To execute the skilling initiatives. 2 pp.19-20
  • ITE&C Department Mandate Scrutinises applications and convenes the committee. 1 p.27

Evidence

What the record shows, with its basis and date. State figures are labelled as state-reported.

Measure Value As of Grounding and sources
Policy termG.O. clause 5 years from 6 Apr 2017 2017 Source Instrument 1 p.14
AVGC jobs created since inceptionState claim, no method Over 30,000 Jun 2023 Source Official claim 10 p.24
AVGC professionals employed, HyderabadState claim, no method About 30,000 Mar 2025 Source Official claim 11 p.108
AVGC professionals employed, HyderabadState claim, no method Around 30,000 2026 Source Official claim 12 p.142
IMAGE Tower planned areaDepartment page, PPP 16 lakh sq ft by Mar 2023 Source Official claim 4
IMAGE Tower estimated costDepartment page Rs 945 crore by Mar 2023 Source Official claim 4
IMAGE Tower in 2017Annual report 6 lakh sq ft, Rs 570 crore, "by 2018" 2017 Source Official claim 7 p.19
Tower growth since 201716/6 and 945/570 167% in area, 66% in cost by Mar 2023 Derived Official claim 4 7 p.19
IMAGE CoE cohortsCoE’s own account Two completed, a third of 23 start-ups; 5 of 10 first-cohort start-ups raised more capital Jun 2023 Source Self-reported 10 p.24

Data warnings

  • "30,000" is two kinds of number. AR 2022-23 says jobs created since inception. SEO 2025 and 2026 say people employed in Hyderabad. SEO 2025 also says "over 1 lakh in the coming years" (p.108; p.103 says "could expand to 1 lakh"), which is a forecast and not a target. 10 p.24 11 p.108 12 p.142
  • 16 lakh sq ft is the Tower, not IMAGE City. The tracker record joined the two. 4
  • The department page’s footer date is not a content date. It reads "Last updated on October 8, 2026", but the Tower text is identical to the Wayback capture of 6 Mar 2023. 4
  • The two instruments disagree on details. Film length is 90 minutes in the policy and 60 in the G.O., and the G.O. contradicts itself in Annexure IX. The G.O. defines a mega project two ways. Cite neither threshold as the rule. 2 p.22 1 p.35 1 p.6 1 p.43
  • The policy PDF has no end date. The five-year term is in the G.O. only. The issuer copy also has a duplicated paragraph and missing Hyderabad land thresholds on pp.17-19. 2 p.26 1 p.14
  • Three copies of the policy circulate. The issuer copy (28 pp) carries the Minister’s message; the 2025 startup-portal copy (25 pp) does not, and a third copy sits on the downloads page. The text after the index is identical in the two read. 2 5
  • The IMAGE CoE’s launch date is unsourced. The 2020-21 annual report says "in the last year" in a July 2021 report. The tracker record’s February 2020 appears in no source. 8 p.4
  • The committee has two names: CCAGI in the policy, CCAVCGI in the G.O. 2 1 p.27

Gaps in the record

  • The G.O. register was not searched. Whether a G.O. extended, replaced or repealed the policy, or issued the essential-service and working-conditions orders, is unknown. This is unanswered, not "no". 6
  • No successor AVGC policy was found in the department’s downloads or G.O. pages, the 2026 outlook or AR 2022-23. Telangana Rising 2047 was not searched for one. 5 6 12 p.142 10 p.24
  • No source attributes any outcome to the policy. The statistical annuals never name it. "Can the outcome be credited to the policy?" has no answer. 11 p.108 12 p.142
  • No count or amount of incentives claimed, sanctioned or paid.
  • No source gives IMAGE Tower construction status, start date or spend, or says why it grew from 6 lakh sq ft and Rs 570 crore.
  • No source says whether IMAGE City was built, dropped or became the Tower.
  • No source reports the Academy, the Digital Content Commission, the venture-capital mechanism or the IP Act committee.
  • No source gives an AVGC count for TASK, or a method or baseline for the 30,000 headcount.
  • No source says whether incentives sanctioned before April 2022 continue to pay out (several run "for a period of three years").
  • No source on take-up outside Hyderabad.
  • The annual report for 2021-22, the year the term ended, never mentions the policy. No annual report exists after 2022-23 in the sources read. 9 10

Watch

Confirmed, announced and expected changes are kept apart. Forecasts are not facts.

  • Announced IMAGE Tower inauguration Not dated 10 p.3
  • Announced University AVGC skilling centre in the Tower Not dated. "Proposed" at a November 2022 roundtable 10 p.24

Connections

  • Integrated with TS-iPASS Projects meeting its conditions get single-window status. 1 p.18
  • Sibling Innovation Policy 2016 AR 2022-23 ties the IMAGE Towers to the Innovation Campus, and the department lists AVGC under Innovation. Nothing in the instrument links them. 10 p.3 4
  • Nodal agency TSIIC Infrastructure and land. 2 p.17
  • Nodal agency TASK Skilling initiatives. 2 pp.19-20
  • Mentioned in IMAGE Centre of Excellence An STPI initiative that the annual reports present beside the policy. No instrument creates it. 8 p.4 10 p.24

Trajectory

Dates are shown only as precisely as the source gives them.

  1. 1 4 Apr 2016 IMAGE Policy launched 1 p.16 4
  2. 2 6 Apr 2017 G.O.Ms.No.03 issues the policy and Operational Guidelines; the five-year term starts 1 p.1 1 p.14
  3. 3 2017 Annual report: Tower "coming up in 6 lakh sq.ft." at Rs 570 crore, "completed by 2018" 7 p.19
  4. 4 By Jul 2021 IMAGE CoE reported as launched "in the last year" 8 p.4
  5. 5 Apr 2022 The five-year term ends (about) 1 p.14
  6. 6 By Mar 2023 Department page carries the Tower at 16 lakh sq ft and Rs 945 crore 4
  7. 7 Jun 2023 AR 2022-23: "Over 30,000 jobs have been created since the inception of IMAGE policy"; Tower "upcoming" 10 p.24 10 p.3
  8. 8 Mar 2025 SEO 2025: about 30,000 employed in Hyderabad 11 p.108
  9. 9 2026 SEO 2026: the Tower "is being developed" at Raidurgam Village 12 p.142

Sources

Source Derived Interpretation
  1. primary G.O.Ms.No.03, ITE&C (Promotions) Dept: IMAGE (Animation and Gaming) Policy of Government of Telangana and Operational Guidelines. Orders issued ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · 6 Apr 2017 · 45 pp with Annexures I-XVII. Printed page equals PDF page. All annexures read for location terms on 24 Oct 2026.
  2. primary IMAGE Policy 2016 (issuer copy, with the Minister’s message) ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · Undated; launched 4 Apr 2016 · 28 pp. States no end date. Printed page equals PDF page from p.6. The text has a duplicated paragraph and missing Hyderabad land thresholds on pp.17-19.
  3. primary Common Application Form for grant of Incentives to AVCG Industries listed in the IMAGE Policy ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · 2017 · Same text as G.O. Annexure-I.
  4. primary Multimedia, Animation, Gaming & Entertainment (department initiative page) ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · read 23 Oct 2026 · Names the IMAGE Policy once; the rest is about the IMAGE Tower. The footer date is not a content date.
  5. primary ITE&C Department downloads page ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · read 23 Oct 2026
  6. primary ITE&C Department Government Orders page ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · read 23 Oct 2026 · Lists 10 orders dated 2016 and 2017. None is an AVGC order.
  7. primary Telangana IT Dept. Annual Report 2016-17 ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · 2017 · Names the IMAGE Tower, not the IMAGE Policy.
  8. primary Telangana IT Department Annual Report 2020-21 ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · Jul 2021 · Names the IMAGE CoE once, not the policy.
  9. primary Telangana IT&EC Department Annual Report 2021-22 ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · Jun 2022 · No mention of IMAGE, animation, gaming, AVGC or VFX.
  10. primary Telangana IT&EC Department Annual Report 2022-23 ITE&C Dept., Govt. of Telangana · Jun 2023 · The last report in the series. Printed page is PDF page minus 2. The text layer drops letters; figures were read from the page images.
  11. primary Socio Economic Outlook 2025 Planning Dept., Govt. of Telangana · Mar 2025 · Does not name the IMAGE Policy. Printed page is PDF page minus 9.
  12. primary Socio Economic Outlook 2026 Planning Dept., Govt. of Telangana · 2026 · Does not name the IMAGE Policy. Names the IMAGE Tower once. Printed page is PDF page minus 7.

Signals and summaries are written by Social Systems Lab from the sources above. They describe the law and the public record, not legal advice.