CCEA approves Rs 1,054.52 crore for Prasar Bharti

New Delhi [India], Feb 6 (ANI): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved Rs 1,054.52 crore for the upgradation of services of Prasar Bharti, India's largest public broadcasting agency.     
The Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme will be implemented for three years from 2017-2018 to 2019-2020, as has been envisioned by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
According to an official statement issued after the meeting, out of Rs 1,054.52 crore, an amount of Rs 435.04 crore has been approved for the continuing schemes of All India Radio and an amount of Rs 619.48 crore is for Doordarshan.
“Provisions have been kept for the modernisation of existing equipment or facilities in studios which are essential to sustain the ongoing activities and also for high definition television (HDTV) transmitters at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata,” said the statement.
The Cabinet also approved the launch of DD Arun Prabha channel from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the northeast region (NER).
For the All India Radio, the scheme provides for FM expansion at 206 places, and the digitalisation of studios at 127 places is envisaged. FM expansion programme will benefit 13 per cent additional population of the country to listen to the AIR programmes.
Besides 10 KW FM transmitters would be set up along Indo-Nepal border while 10 KW FM transmitters would be set up in Jammu and Kashmir border. These will significantly improve the Radio and TV coverage along these border areas. (ANI)