MUMBAI: Though in an expansion mode, the public broadcasters All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) have not been able to utilise a large chunk of funds alloted to them for acquisition of software and hardware systems.
In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anand Sharma cited that both the public broadcasters have not utilised nearly Rs 38 crores issued to them, says a PTI report.
During the 11th five-year plan, the government had allocated Rs 44.03 crores to AIR for the purpose of acquiring various softwares and hardwares. Of the Rs 5 crores alloted during 2007-08, AIR had been able to utilise only Rs 3.2 crores.
In 2008, a sum of Rs 44.03 crores was allocated to it, of which just about Rs 7.19 crores have been utilised so far. The AIR has embarked on a major drive to digitise and modernise its production, uplinking, downlinking facilities to ensure convergence ready content in the near future. It also seeks to digitise its innumerable transmitters spread across the country.
During 2007-08, about 115 AIR radio stations have been provided with the facility of digitised downlinking. Between 2007 and December 2008, DD could utilise Rs 78.10 crores of the Rs 83.53 crores allocated to it during the period. DD has already introduced a DTH service and Mobile TV service following the upgradation of its facilities.
MUMBAI: Though in an expansion mode, the public broadcasters All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD) have not been able to utilise a large chunk of funds alloted to them for acquisition of software and hardware systems.
In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anand Sharma cited that both the public broadcasters have not utilised nearly Rs 38 crores issued to them, says a PTI report.
During the 11th five-year plan, the government had allocated Rs 44.03 crores to AIR for the purpose of acquiring various softwares and hardwares. Of the Rs 5 crores alloted during 2007-08, AIR had been able to utilise only Rs 3.2 crores.
In 2008, a sum of Rs 44.03 crores was allocated to it, of which just about Rs 7.19 crores have been utilised so far. The AIR has embarked on a major drive to digitise and modernise its production, uplinking, downlinking facilities to ensure convergence ready content in the near future. It also seeks to digitise its innumerable transmitters spread across the country.
During 2007-08, about 115 AIR radio stations have been provided with the facility of digitised downlinking. Between 2007 and December 2008, DD could utilise Rs 78.10 crores of the Rs 83.53 crores allocated to it during the period. DD has already introduced a DTH service and Mobile TV service following the upgradation of its facilities.
