Question : Setting up of Community Radio Stations

a) the guidelines for setting up of community radio stations in the country;
b) the number of community radio stations operating in the country including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, State-wise;
c) whether there are not even 500 community radio stations in the country even after one decade and if so, the reasons therefor;
d) the number of such radio stations which are likely to be set up in the country during 2018-19, State-Wise;
e) the steps taken by the Government for further simplification of the application process for setting up of such radio stations; and
f) whether the Government has planned to strengthen the community radio station movement in the country and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING [COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

a) Policy Guidelines for establishing Community Radio (CR) stations in India, approved in 2002 and as amended in 2006 and January, 2017 are available on Ministry’s website www.mib.gov.in.
b) At present there are 214 operational Community Radio stations in the country including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. State-wise list of the number of operational CR stations in India is annexed at ‘A’.
c) As mentioned above, there are 214 operational CR stations in the country. Setting up of CR station is a voluntary effort. All the applications, for setting up of CR station, received in the Ministry are processed as per the Policy Guidelines. The processing of application involves obtaining mandatory clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing, D/o Telecommunications, Ministry of Human Resource Development (in respect of educational institutes), Screening Committee and Inter-Ministerial Committee. The completion of process takes time. Lack of awareness/preparedness among potential organizations also contribute to setting up of less number of CR stations.
d) There are 357 applicants who have been issued Letters of Intent (LoI) from the Ministry. Out of these, 87 applicants have signed GOPA with the Ministry. These applicants, subject to necessary clearances from Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC) Wing of D/o Telecommunications, are eligible to set up a CR station. State-wise list of GOPA holders and LoI holders is annexed at ‘B’.
e) & f) Ministry, in its effort to strengthen the Community Radio Movement in the country, simplified the process for application to set up Community Radio Station. Ministry also conducted workshops from time to time to create awareness among the stakeholders, provide guidance and support to the applicants. To promote transparency and digitalization, Ministry has also started www.broadcastseva.gov.in, an online portal.

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