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However, information and broadcasting (I&B) minister Ravi Shankar
Prasad has also said that the Central and the state governments
have to work together.
"I am of the clear view that in implementation of CAS, the
state and the Central government have to work together. With this
view, I have written letters to the chief ministers of Maharashtra
and West Bengal," Prasad conveyed to Delhi chief minister Sheila
Dixit in a letter dated 18 December.
This was in response to Dixit's comments to the ministry yesterday
that the confusion regarding CAS not only persists, but has also
increased.
Rubbishing the charge that "confusion about CAS has increased
manifold", Prasad said, "I would like to reiterate that
we share these concerns (CAS is anti-consumer, there are differential
pricing of set-top boxes, etc) and have taken steps to protect consumer
interests in the implementation of CAS."
According to Prasad's letter, (a copy of which indiantelevision.com
has obtained), "There is no question of arbitrary fixation
of charges as the cost of free-to-air channels has been mandated
by law at Rs 72 per month, plus taxes. The pricing of pay channels
has been left to broadcasters and MSOs and these will be determined
by market forces."
In a reply pointing out that from the time CAS was deferred in
the Capital till today, the state has not done much to make it work
(like interactions with consumer bodies and the industry), Prasad
stated, "There is no reason to presume that there will be steep
increase in these (the prices of channels) or that consumers will
be kept in the dark about what they have to pay."
Yesterday, Dixit had said in a letter to Prasad, "Basic questions
like why do we need CAS and STBs still remain a mystery to the common
man."
Pointing out that a step that was taken to rein in the undisciplined
cable industry has boomeranged on the "poor consumer",
the Delhi CM has said that "agitated" consumer associations
have been meeting her as they are not convinced about the need to
introduce CAS.
She had also tried to highlight that the Union government had not
done proper ground work on CAS saying, "While we continue our
efforts to safeguard interests of the consumers, the Union ministry
of I&B should immediately launch a full-fledged consumer awareness
programme involving consumer groups and citizens' associations."
Meanwhile, as the Centre and state continue playing ping-pong with
CAS, a cautious cable fraternity continues pushing the STBs even
while giving popular channels to non-CAS enabled homes too.
Though the biggest multi-system operator (MSO) in the country told
the Delhi government today that over 20,000 boxes have been seeded
in the market, cable industry insiders maintained that about 10,000
boxes would have either been installed or orders placed with cable
ops.
CAS Implementation Panel meet
The Delhi government's panel on CAS rollout met here and heard the
issues raised by everybody, including consumer activists and MSOs
today.
The two consumer activists (form Consumer Coordination Council
and VOICE) maintained that there is complete chaos in the market
and there is no awareness about CAS as confusion reigns supreme.
On their part, the cable industry - represented by Siti Cable head
Jawahar Goel and Hathway's president (operations) for North India,
S N Sharma, amplified the fact that the industry is doing its bit
by bringing out ads in newspapers like Punjab Kesari and Navbharat
Times (to be followed over the next few days in some other dailies
of Delhi) on CAS-related questions.
Also Read:
Anti-CAS PIL hearing postponed
till Friday
Cable frat encouraged
by positive response to CAS
West Bengal government
amiable to CAS concept
South Delhi CAS rollout
gets mixed response
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