Question : DIGITALISATION OF SPEECHES

(a) whether the Government is aware that the All India Radio is in possession of recordings of several important speeches of our national leaders and freedom fighters;

(b) if so, whether the Government has any plan for digitalisation of these important speeches with a view to preserve them for posterity;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to make CDs of immortal Voices of our freedom fighters to make them available in the common market?

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING & CULTURE (SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY)

(a): Yes, Sir.

(b) to (d):- A project to digitisation of all archival recordings of AIR is under implementation and recordings of approximately 15742 hours have already been transferred into digital format. The project is scheduled for completion within this financial year.

(e): The AIR has already made available to general public recordings of speeches of National leaders on nominal service charges. These include cassettes containing speeches of Mahatama Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad who were great freedom fighters.