(a) whether the Government has any proposal to increase the capacity of the Doordarshan
(DD) free-to-air Direct to Home (DTH) Platform to accommodate new/more channels;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the time by which such proposal is likely to be implemented; and
(d) the present status of DTH policy in the country including Andhra Pradesh?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (DR.S.JAGATHRAKSHAKAN)
(a)and (b): The Standing Finance Committee has cleared the proposal of augmentation of Doordarsahn’s
DTH platform from 59 to 97 channels at a cost of Rs 55.43 crore as part of 11th Plan Scheme of DD-DTH
on 15.07.2010
(c): The Project is scheduled to be operationalised by 2011-12.
(d): “The guidelines for DTH service were issued on 15.03.2001. The details of the guidelines are available
on the website (www.mib.nic) of the Ministry. Apart from DD Direct+ India’s first and only Free- to -AIR DTH
service of Prasar Bharti, there are six private DTH licensees operating in the country. As per the TRAI’s
performance indicator report for the quarter ending March 2010, there are total 21.3 millions subscribers
of DTH services. The DTH operators provide services on a Pan India basis including Andhra Pradesh.