Panaji, Nov 3 (IANS): Alleging that Goa government has converted the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) into a domestic festival, the Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said on Friday that that the much-hyped IFFI could get only 269 international delegates during the last four editions.

"I had dared the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant a fortnight ago to reveal the data pertaining to delegate registrations, expenditure incurred by the Goa government and funds received from the Central government for organising the film festival. As the Chief Minister failed to accept my challenge, I am compelled to place in public domain the facts and figures of IFFI," Alemao added.

He said that the data provided to the state Assembly by the Chief Minister reveals that Goa government or the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) have lost all rights of programming and curating various sections of IFFI.

"The role of the Goa government and ESG is now reduced to a travel and hospitality agent. It is high time that the government releases a white paper on IFFI which will throw light on its actual benefits to the state as compared to the huge expenditure incurred by the government every year," Alemao added.

According to the Goa Opposition leader, in 2019, during the 50th IFFI only 116 international delegates participated while during the 51st IFFI in 2021, only 33 international delegates attended, 37 foreign delegates remained present for the 52nd IFFI in 2021 whereas only 83 international delegates were present for the 53rd IFFI in 2022.

“The government information further reveals that the total number of delegates registering for IFFI from 2019 to 2022 were only 22,003, of which 6,480 belonged to Goa," Alemao said.