Lok Sabha Question No. 2934 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: FM Service
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar, Hemant Patil

## 'FM SERVICE'

2934. SHRI  RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE: SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH alias PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR: SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL:

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

- (a) whether a large number of villages are yet to be covered under FM Service across the country, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor, State/UT-wise;
- (b) the norms/criteria laid down by the Government for setting up of Radio Stations in the country;
- (c) the cases  of violation of said norms/criterion coming  to the notice of the Government  since  approval  of  'Policy  Guidelines  on  expansion  of  FM  radio  broadcasting services through private agencies (Phase-III)' in the country along  with action taken/being taken thereon;
- (d) the number of complaints received by the Government for irregularities/corruption in e-auction of FM channels of Phase-III along with action taken/being taken thereon; and
- (e) the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  cover  each  and  every village by FM Service?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE; MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

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(a), (b)  & (e) Prasar Bharati is currently operating 506 All India Radio (AIR) FM transmitters of various capacities (ranging from 100 Watt to 20 kW) at 467 locations providing around 55%  area-wise  and  65%  population-wise  coverage  across  the  country  including  various villages  in  India.  FM  Radio  Stations  of  AIR  operate  through  high  power  transmitters  that cover large areas of urban agglomerations and generally cover surrounding villages of the particular city/town. Prasar Bharati implements the projects for setting up of AIR FM Radio

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2934 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2021

Stations  as  approved  by  Government  under  Central  Sponsored  Schemes  to  provide coverage in uncovered, border and remote areas across the count

In  so  far  as  Private  FM  Radio  is  concerned,  the  Policy  on  expansion  of  FM  Radio Broadcasting services through Private Agencies (Phase-III) approved by Union Cabinet on 07.07.2011  seeks  to  extend  FM  radio  services    to  227  new  and  uncovered  cities.    The private  FM  radio  Phase-III  Policy  is  city  centric  and  mandates  to  cover  all  cities  having population above one lakhs as per census 2001 with private FM radio channels.  Further, 11 towns  in  Union  Territory  of  Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Union  Territory  of  Ladakh,  North  East  & Island Territories having population less than one lakh have also been approved for setting up FM radio stations. The copy of the complete policy guidelines including eligibility criteria is available on the Ministry's website (www.mib.gov.in).

(c ) No  such  cases  of  violation  of  said  norms/criterion  have  come  to  the  notice  of  the Government.

- (d) No complaints have been received.

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