Lok Sabha Question No. 3638 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-07
Subject: Small Radio Stations
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: HARISHCHANDRA DEORAM CHAVAN, MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3638

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2016)

## SMALL RADIO STATIONS

## 3638. SHRI HARISHCHANDRA CHAVAN ; SHRI MANSKUKHBHAI DHANIBHAI VASAVA

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- (a)    whether  the  Government  has  proposed  any  scheme  to  set  up  small  radio stations;
- (b)    if so, the details thereof ;
- (c)    the benefits of these small radio stations;
- (d)    the  number  of  such  small  radio  stations  set  up  after  launch  of  this  scheme, State-wise and its objectives; and
- (e)    the location-wise radio stations proposed to be set up.?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING [COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

(a) & (b) Government grants permissions to set up low power FM Community Radio Stations  (CRSs)  under  the  Policy  Guidelines  for  setting  up  of  Community  Radio Stations in India, issued in the year 2006. These guidelines are available at Ministry's website, www.mib.nic.in.

(c)  Community  Radio  Stations  play  an  active  role  in  the  information  dissemination amongst the community, thereby creating awareness and social responsibility. These Stations cater to the needs and aspirations of the communities at grass root level.

(d)  At  present  201  Community  Radio  Stations  are  operational  across  the  country. State/UT-wise details are at Annexure .Policty guidelines for setting up of Community Radio Station (CRS) in India prescribe that the basic objective of the Community Radio broadcasting is to service area of the permission holder by involving members of the community  in  the  broadcast  of  their  programmes.  The  programmes  should  be  of immediate relevance to the community. The emphasis should be on developmental , agricultural, health, educational, environmental, social welfare, community development and cultural programmes.

(e)  Grant  of  permission  to  organisations  to  set  up  Community  Radio  Stations  is  a continuous  process.  Eligible  organisations  can  apply  to  set  up  Community  Radio Station in any part of the country.

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## ANNEXURE AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (D) OF THE LSUSQ NO. 3638 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2016

## State/UT wise details of Operational Community Radio Stations in India

| Sr. No.           | STATE/ UT                   | OPERATIONAL CRS   |
|-------------------|-----------------------------|-------------------|
| 1                 | Andhra Pradesh              | 6                 |
| 2                 | Arunachal Pradesh           | Nil               |
| 3                 | Assam                       | 3                 |
| 4                 | Bihar                       | 6                 |
| 5                 | Chhattisgarh                | 3                 |
| 6                 | Goa                         | Nil               |
| 7                 | Gujarat                     | 7                 |
| 8                 | Haryana                     | 9                 |
| 9                 | Himachal Pradesh            | 2                 |
| 10                | Jammu and Kashmir           | 1                 |
| 11                | Jharkhand                   | 1                 |
| 12                | Karnataka                   | 16                |
| 13                | Kerala                      | 9                 |
| 14                | Madhya Pradesh              | 15                |
| 15                | Maharashtra                 | 17                |
| 16                | Manipur                     | Nil               |
| 17                | Meghalaya                   | Nil               |
| 18                | Mizoram                     | Nil               |
| 19                | Nagaland                    | Nil               |
| 20                | Orissa                      | 10                |
| 21                | Punjab                      | 4                 |
| 22                | Rajasthan                   | 8                 |
| 23                | Sikkim                      | Nil               |
| 24                | Tamil Nadu                  | 30                |
| 25                | Telangana                   | 7                 |
| 26                | Tripura                     | Nil               |
| 27                | Uttarakhand                 | 9                 |
| 28                | Uttar Pradesh               | 23                |
| 29                | West Bengal                 | 2                 |
| Union Territories | Union Territories           |                   |
| 30                | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Nil               |
| 31                | Chandigarh                  | 3                 |
| 32                | NCT of Delhi                | 6                 |
| 33                | Dadra and Nagar Haveli      | Nil               |
| 34                | Daman and Diu               | Nil               |
| 35                | Lakshadweep                 | Nil               |
| 36                | Puducherry                  | 4                 |
| GRAND TOTAL       | GRAND TOTAL                 | 201               |