NEW DELHI: All India Radio (AIR) has posted revenue of Rs 2.94 billion for the fiscal ended March 2011, up 18.35 per cent from Rs 2.49 billion in the year-ago period.

This includes the commercial revenue of the AIR AM/FM channels and also the revenues earned directly by Prasar Bharati towards publicity campaigns of different government departments and ministries.

AIR has earned revenue of Rs 364.47 million till May this financial year.

The Government earned revenue of approximately Rs 17.48 billion till 31 July 2011 from Phase I and Phase II of FM radio. Out of this, the Government earned around Rs 1.78 billion over the last three years from 2008-09 up to 31 July this year.

Apart from the revenues from the open auction procedure for Phase III of FM, the government is expected to also earn substantial income from beaming news of AIR on 'as is where is' basis.

A total of 245 private FM and 252 AM/FM channels of AIR are operational in the country.