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DELHI: In a bid to expedite the clearances for downlinking and uplinking permission
of private satellite television channels, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry
has commenced a process of monthly meetings
to hear complaints or answer queries relating to such issues. The
meeting would be held on the fifth of every month with the Director in charge
of Broadcasting, Supriya Sahu, between 11 am and 12 noon to entertain any difficulty
experienced by applicants in getting the clearance.
"The
applicants can use this opportunity to submit any relevant information/documents
pertaining to their applications or uplinking/downlinking guidelines as also clarify
any issues," according to a note circulated by the Ministry. "This initiative
should facilitate the completion of documentation and response to queries that
may require answers by the applicants and also obviate the need and practice of
unnecessary visits to the Ministry by applicants."
The meetings are part of the process of an "absolutely transparent process"
of granting permission as required under these Guidelines. The process of granting
permission includes mandatory clearances from Ministries/Departments like Finance
(Department of Revenue), Department of Space, Home Affairs, etc.
The
step was taken after the Ministry learnt that certain individuals claiming to
be experts were offering consultancy for getting permission for Uplinking and
Downlinking of channels. Senior
Ministry sources told indiantelevision.com ‘categorically’ that the
Ministry did not recognize any such consultants and they had no role in getting
permission from the Ministry which had "a transparent set of rules and procedures
and they are scrupulously followed."
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