New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed a strong support for India's creative industries or 'orange economy' to create future-ready creative jobs.

Sitharaman said that India's Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector is a rapidly growing industry and is projected to require 2 million professionals by 2030.

"I propose to support the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai, in setting up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges, Sitharaman said while presenting the Union Budget for 2026-27.

This move is expected to boost India's next-generation creator workforce, powering jobs, startups, etc.

The Economic Survey 2025-26 too had noted tha...