Question : SERVICES OF DD AKASHVANI KENDRAS

(a) the percentage of areas/population which are yet to be covered by the series of Doordarshan (DD) and Akashvani and the reasons therefor along with the steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure that all areas/population of the country are covered therein;

(b) whether the Government proposes to set up Doordarshn Kendras/ Akashvani Kendras in various parts of the country;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the details of proposals received from the States for the purpose and the action/steps taken on each of such proposals during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT and DD/Akashvani Kendra-wise;

(d) whether the Government has conducted/proposes to conduct any survey in this regard; and

(e) if so, the outcome of the said survey and the time by which the said kendras are likely to be set up/functional, State/UT and DD/Akashvani Kendra-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI MANISH TEWARI)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 315 FOR ANSWER ON 19.03.2013.

Prasar Bharati has informed that presently, the coverage of All India Radio (AIR) through 536 AM/ FM radio transmitters is 91.90 % by area and 99.2 % by population. Only 0.80 % of the population of the country living in the uncovered areas is not getting the programmes of AIR. These uncovered areas are mostly thinly populated high altitude hilly and desert areas comprising of some parts of northern and eastern border areas in J&K State, western border areas in Rajasthan State, eastern border areas in Uttarakhand & Himachal Pradesh, north and north-eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh and other border areas of the North- Eastern States .

AIR Plans to provide coverage to 100% population of the country. The following steps have been taken up for expansion of the coverage of All India Radio (AIR) in the country:

1. Projects have been taken up for upgrading the power of 12 existing transmitters of AIR and for installation of 166 additional MW/ FM Transmitters of various capacities throughout the country.

2. In additions, 21 radio channels (Programmes) of AIR are made available through DD Direct plus DTH platform (Ku-band) and these programmes can be received through a set top box all over the country (except Andaman & Nicobar Islands).

New Akashvani kendras approved under 11th Plan are being set up at 133 places in the country. The state-wise details are given in Annexure-I. 18 proposals have been received from the various States/ UTs to set up FM Radio Stations during the last three years and the current year. The state /UT wise details along with the action taken in each of the said proposals is given in Annexure-II.

As regards Doordarshan, terrestrial TV coverage is available to about 92% population of the country spread over about 81% area . However the whole of India including the areas uncovered by terrestrial transmitters have been provided with multichannel TV coverage through Doordarshan’s free to air DTH service “DD Direct Plus”. New Transmitters for expansion of terrestrial coverage are now not envisaged, except a few in border areas.

There is no scheme to set up new Doordarshan Kendras. However, 6 requests for new Doordarshan Kendras have been received from State Governments in the year 2009-10. These requests are from Bihar (1), Mizoram (1) and Rajasthan (4). No request has been received during the year 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

No survey has been conducted or is proposed to be conducted for setting up of new Kendras by AIR and Doordarshan.