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Indiantelevision.com
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati is to get an allocation of Rs 53.97 billion for hardware schemes of Doordarshan and All India Radio in the 12th Plan, though these schemes are yet to be approved.
Prasar Bharati sources told indiantelevision.com that Rs 29.5 billion is for new schemes and Rs 24.47 billion for continuing ones.
But the Government has clarified that there are no immediate plans of expansion of Doordarshan coverage through new transmitters, except for setting up a few in border areas.
A total of Rs 2.42 billion was spent on 1415 Doordarshan transmitters (relay centres) up to October 2012 during 2012-13, DD sources told indiantelevision.com.
Information and Broadcasting Ministry sources said a total of Rs 3.71 billion had been spent in 2011-12, Rs 3.66 billion in 2011-11, and Rs 2.86 billion in 2009-10.
These centres transmit 33 satellite channels, five All India channels, 11 regional channels, 16 state networks, one international and one HD channel.
A total of 41 low power transmitters including transmitters in tribal areas are being used only for partial transmission due to staff constraints, the sources said.
A total of six proposals had been received in 1009-10 for new Doordarshan kendras and five for new transmitters. While there has been no fresh request for new kendras, requests were received in 2010-11 for one transmitters, and three in 2011-12 from state governments.
Doordarshan at present covers 92 per cent of the population in terrestrial mode spread over 81 per cent of the area. All the areas uncovered by terrestrial mode have been provided with multi-channel TV coverage through Doordarshan?s free-to-air DD Direct Plus and free connections with TV sets have been provided in some areas like the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir.
