Lok Sabha Question No. 71 (STARRED), answered on 2021-07-23
Subject: Dedicated Channels for Farmers
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Bheemrao Baswanthrao Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.*71

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2021)

## DEDICATED CHANNELS FOR FARMERS

## *71.  SHRI B.B. PATIL:

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

- (a) the  details  of  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  towards educating the farmers through Radio and TV;
- (b) whether the Government is operating any dedicated channels for this purpose and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the funds allocated and utilized on running of such dedicated channels so far?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## ***********************

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *71  FOR  ANSWER  ON 23.07.2021

- (a)  &  (b):  A  full  fledged  Television  Channel  (DD  Kisan)  for  the farmers  was  launched  on  26 th   May,  2015  by  the  Hon'ble  Prime Minister  Shri  Narendra  Modi.  Prasar  Bharati  broadcasts  'DD Kisan', a 24X7 satellite TV channel,  exclusively dedicated to the farmers and the agriculture sector to serve the farming and rural community  in  India  and  to  reach  the  remotest  parts  of  the country,  to  inform  and  educate  the  rural  populace  and  work towards  creating  a  holistic  environment  for  sustainable  and
- inclusive growth of the farmers.
-  Prasar Bharati is also having a dedicated  'YouTube' channel  of  DD  Kisan  where  the  viewers  may  access  this channel  and  also  its  various  programmes  digitally  across the globe.
- 
- Some major programmes telecast on this channel are
- (i)
- (ii)
- (iii)
- (iv)
- Kisan Samachar,
- Chaupal Charcha,
- Gaon Kisan,
- Mausam Khabar Live,
- (v) Hello Kisan Live,
- (vi)
- Krishi Darshan,
- (vii)
- Swastha Kisan etc.
- As per Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data, total  unique  viewership  in  2020  and  2021  (upto  9 th   July, 2021) for DD Kisan Channel is 22.13 Crore and 11.45 Crore
-  respectively.
-  In addition, Prasar Bharati broadcasts a 30 minute, six days a  week,  dedicated  interactive  programme  'Kisanvani',  in respective regional languages over 96 AIR stations across the  country  and  'Kisan  Ki  Baat'  programme  over  FM  Gold Channel in Delhi, for the farming community in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
-  Further, programmes towards educating farmers on various aspects  are  also  being  carried  on  AIR  and  DD  Networks across the country.

(c)  The  funds  are  allocated  on  annual  basis  as  per  requirement for the operations of 'DD Kisan' channel. The details of Allocation  and  expenditure  for  producing  content  on  the  'DD Kisan' channel are as under:

(Rs in crore)

| Year    |   Allocation | Expenditure   |
|---------|--------------|---------------|
| 2014-15 |        26    | 23.11         |
| 2015-16 |        26.25 | 26.25         |
| 2016-17 |        52    | 49.33         |
| 2017-18 |        46.58 | 34.47         |
| 2018-19 |        34.51 | 19.31         |
| 2019-20 |        17.55 | 16.43         |
| 2020-21 |        19.5  | 18.73         |
| 2021-22 |        45    | --            |

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