New Delhi

The government of India’s Information and Broadcasting Department has received total 87 proposals for setting up FM radio stations in different towns/cities in the country in last three years of these four proposals are from Gujarat and three are from Jharkhand. The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mr. Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore (Retd.) provided the information in the Rajya Sabha on May 5, 2015 in reply to a question raised by MP Mr. Parimal Nathwani.

The minister stated that department of Information and Broadcasting received total 87 proposals for setting up new FM Radio Stations in different states of the country, of which the highest 14 proposals were received from Madhya Pradesh for setting up FM Radio Stations in different towns and cities of the state.

In Gujarat FM Radio Stations will be set up in four towns namely Amreli, Bhuj, Surendranagar and Dahod, said the minister. Minister Rathore also stated that of these four proposals, proposals for setting up 100 Watt FM transmitter in Amreli, Surendranagar and Dahod were approved in 12th Five Year Plan, while work for installation of 5KW FM transmitter at Bhuj is under progress.

In a statement tabled in the parliament, the minister also said that the government received three proposals from Jharkhand to set up FM Radio Stations at Deoghar, Godda and Santhal Pargana. A scheme of setting up 100 Watt FM transmitter at Godda was approved under 12th Five Year Plan, while FM Radio Station is operational at Deoghar, but there is no scheme approved for setting up FM transmitter at Santhal Pargana.

Mr. Nathwani wanted to know about total proposals received by the government for setting up FM Radio stations in different cities and towns of the country in last three years. He also wanted to know about whether the equipments installed at the Doordarshan Kendras have become obsolete and what steps have been taken by the government to replace them with new equipments.

The minister in the statement tabled in the house stated setting up FM Radio stations and FM transmitters and digitizing studio centers of DD network is a continuous process depending on availability of resources. He also informed that out of total 67 studio centers of DD Network, total 23 studios are fully digitized, 31 are partially digitized and 13 are analog studio centers.

– DeshGujarat