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NEW DELHI: All India Radio proposes to set up 385 new FM transmitters
in the Twelfth Plan in the country to increase the FM coverage
to 90 per cent population.
However,
this is subject to allocation of funds and approval of the
Planning Commission, Information and Broadcasting Ministry
sources said.
At
present, AIR FM reaches out to 41.43 per cent population and
29.18 per cent area. This is part of the total AIR coverage
of 91.87 per cent area and 99.19 per cent population.
Even prior to the 12th Plan scheme, FM Transmitters of varying
capacities are being installed in 224 more places throughout
the country by AIR, apart from 40 MW transmitters. This will
take the coverage to 38.75 per cent area and 53.53 per cent
population including villages and hamlets.
In
addition, the power of 12 MW transmitters is being increased
and 40 new MW transmitters are being installed under the 11th
Plan. At present, 432 AM/FM transmitters are installed in
the country.
New
stations are being set up in 225 places, and a total of 62
new Akashwani kendras were set up in the past three years.
A
total of 276 AIR radio stations are functional in the country
at present. A total of 278 more stations will be set up under
the 12th Plan if the budgets are approved.
Meanwhile,
the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology
has said it is ‘unhappy to note that out of the planned
allocation of Rs three billion for upgradation of studios
and transmitters of All India Radio in the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, only Rs 18 million had been spent.
The
Committee was not convinced with the reasons cited by the
Ministry that delay in approval of Schemes only on 27 April
2010 delayed procurement and implementation of the project
resulting in low expenditure.
The
Committee was "of the considered view that when the budgetary
provision had already been made for the project, the Ministry
should have set the physical targets, closely monitored the
progress of physical targets and ensured full utilisation
of funds in the Island".
The
Committee took serious note of the above underspending and
recommended the Ministry should take adequate measures during
2012-13 so that projects are expedited and funds utilised
optimally during the current Financial Year.
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