NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), a unit of the I&B Ministry, tops the list with arrears of Rs 41.13 million as principal amount among 38 agencies owing more than Rs 100,000 each to All India Radio, Parliament was informed today.
A total of Rs 80.24 million of total outstanding dues as on 31 March 2011 was owed to AIR after taking into account the payments made up to 30 November 2011. DAVP had earlier till August last year owed AIR Rs 66.71 million and led among 45 agencies that were defaulters till then.
Indiantelevision.com learnt that in comparison, a total of 66 agencies owed Doordarshan a total of Rs 709.10 million (including interest) till 31 October this year, apart from old or dead dues amounting to Rs 481.13 million (inclusive of interest) owed by 154 agencies.
In addition, the total outstanding dues from Government agencies was Rs 402.85 million (including interest), with the DAVP owing Rs 2.10 million. The largest defaulters among government agencies are the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games with a debt of Rs 205.8 million and the BSNL with Rs 12.47 million (both with no interest liability), and the National Film Development Corporation owing as much as Rs 18.68 million.
Arbitration proceedings are continuing in the case of 84 agencies and production houses owing Rs 7.75 billion (including of late payment interest).
Interestingly, Prasar Bharati owes over Rs 13.05 billion on account of Space segment and Spectrum charges as on 31 March this year and the Group of Ministers on Prasar Bharati has recommended that this should be waived.
While All India Radio owed Rs 2.11 billion, Doordarshan owed Rs 10.94 billion on account of Space segment and Spectrum Charges.
Early this year, the Parliamentary Assurances Committee had been informed by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry that Prasar Bharati and the Ministry were unable to recover the Rs 32.5 million owed to the pubcaster as in August 2005 by the Ministries of Railways, Agriculture and Rural Development.
While Agriculture owed Rs 15 million, Railways owed Rs 10 million and Rural Development had to pay Rs 7.5 million since 2003-04.