Question : LOW POWER TRANSMITTER IN DDKS

(a) the number of Very Low Power Transmitter in Doordarshan network in the country along with their transmission capacity, location and State/UT-wise;

(b) the details of viewership of TV programmes relayed by Very Low Power Doordarshan Kendras (DDKs) along with the expenditure incurred to run these DDKs during the last three years;

(c) whether the transmission capacity of the said DDKs of the country has not been enha- nced so far, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the Government proposes to close the low power DDKs located in various parts of the country, if so, the details thereof along with the time by which the decision is likely to be taken in this regard; and

(e) whether the Government also proposes to utilize manpower working in the said DDKs in other unit, if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF IN- FORMATION AND BROADCASTING {COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE(Retd.)}

(a) Prasar Bharati has informed that there are 372 very low power TV transmitters (VLPTs) of 10W/50W power and 18 transposers of 10W power in the country. State-wise, locations of the above mentioned VLPTs are given at Annexure-I.

(b) No such survey has been conducted to assess Low Power Transmitter Viewership by DD. Televi- sion Audience Measurement (TAM) also does not provide LPTV viewership data.

LPTVs/VLPTs functioning in Doordarshan Network are looked after by Doordarshan Maintenance Centres (DMCs). The total expenditure made by DMCs during last three years is as under:-

 
 2012-13	Rs. 316.94 Crore 2013-14	Rs. 318.16 Crore 2014-15	Rs. 349.66 Crore 
 
 (c) Upgradation/ Modernization of Doordarshan Kendras(induction of new technologies, repla- cement of old aging equipment and augmentation/ upgradation of facilities) is a continuous process. Details of the VLPTs upgraded to LPT/ HPT, so far, are given at Annexure-II. 
 
 (d) & (e) Some Low Power Transmitters (LPTs) may be closed down if they lie in the coverage zone of nearby High Power Transmitters (HPTs) alongwith suitable redeployment of staff.