Lok Sabha Question No. 713 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-05
Subject: Community Radio Station
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Arun Sao, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Geeta Kora, Dileshwar Kamait, Vijay Baghel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 713 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2021)

## COMMUNITY RADIO STATION

713. SHRI ARUN SAO, SHRI JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA, SHRIMATI GEETA KORA, SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT, SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL

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

- a)  the schemes being run by the Government to encourage Community Radio Stations throughout the country including Chhattisgarh;
- b)  the number of applications received from Chhattisgarh State for Community Radio Stations  and  the  number  of  places  in  Chhattisgarh  where  the  Government  has given permission for operating Community Radio Stations;
- c)  the  names  of  places  in  Chhattisgarh  where  the  proposals  for  setting  up  of Community Radio Stations are pending and the reasons therefor;
- d)  the  time  by  which  the  Government  is  likely  to  take  decision  on  the  pending proposals;
- e)  whether least number of Community Radio Stations are functional in Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Jharkhand, if so, the reasons therefor; and
- f) the details of the assistance being provided by the Government to facilitate setting up of a Community Radio Station?

## 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]

- a) The  Government  has  approved  a  scheme  namely  'Supporting  Community Radio Movement in India' to strengthen the Community Radio Sector in the country. The scheme covers all areas of all the States/UTs including Chhattisgarh.
- b) The number of applications received from Chhattisgarh State for Community Radio Stations are 51 and the number of places where the Government has given permission  to  set  up  CR  Stations  are  26.  Applications  for  25  places  have  been rejected by Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) due to non-eligibility /non-availability of clearances from different Ministries.

c) & d) NIL.

e)  &  f)  A  total  of  14  Community  Radio  Stations  are  functional  in  Jammu  and Kashmir, Bihar and Jharkhand.

Setting  up  of  Community  Radio  Station  is  a  voluntary  activity.  The  organizations such  as  NGOs,  Educational  Institutions,  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  are  eligible  for setting up of CR station in the interest of their community.

To  encourage  the  eligible  organizations,  the  Government  organizes  awareness workshops for helping the organizations in setting up of Community Radio Stations. Further,  under  the  scheme,  financial  assistance  is  provided  for  setting  up  of Community Radio Stations.  The grant provided is 75% of total expenditure incurred in  setting  up  of  CR  station  subject  to  a  ceiling  of  Rs.  7.5  lakh.    Further,  in  North Eastern  areas,  the  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  the  tune  of  90%  of  total expenditure subject to a ceiling of Rs. 7.5 lakh.

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