NEW DELHI: Community Radio Stations will no longer have to wait for prior approval of the grant by the government to purchase equipment.

This relaxation applies to both existing and new CRS, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has said.

The Ministry has revised the existing guidelines and process for release of grants for purchasing equipment by existing and new Community Radio Stations (CRSs) Revised guidelines for providing grants to CRSs are available on Ministry's website www.mib.nic.in.

Under the relaxation, the eligible organisations would be required to apply for the release of grant in the prescribed format after setting up of CRS and operationalising it for three months.

Already operational stations may apply for the release of grant immediately after purchasing and installation of equipment. Interested organisations/CRs may apply for the release of grant according to the procedure mentioned in the guidelines.

The Ministry had last month announced that Operational Community Radio Stations, which today number around 200 more than a decade after the scheme was introduced, would be eligible for getting a grant of a maximum of 75 per cent of the total estimated expenditure on equipment subject to a ceiling of Rs 7,50,000.

Under its scheme for “Supporting Community Radio Movement in India”, the maximum grant size for purchase of equipment will be to 90 per cent of the total estimated expenditure subject to a ceiling of Rs 7,50,000 for North Eastern States (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura). The remaining amount will have to be contributed by the grantee.

Also read: More grants for equipment and content to operational community radio stations