Lok Sabha Question No. 412 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: FM Radio Stations
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Selvam G, Shri C N Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 412 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.11.2024

## FM RADIO STATIONS

## 412   SHRI SELVAM G: SHRI C N ANNADURAI:

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

- (a)  the  total  number  of  FM  radio  stations  currently  operational  across  the  country  along  with  the number out of them which are licensed under the Government's policies;
- (b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to expand the coverage of FM radio stations in remote, rural and underserved areas and the timeline fixed for achieving nationwide FM coverage;
- (c) the places identified for setting up new FM stations in the country, State/UT-wise particularly in Tamil Nadu;
- (d) whether the Government is auctioning channels in all cities of the country including Tamil Nadu under the Private FM Radio Phase-III Policy and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the number of community Frequency Modulation (FM) Radio Stations presently functional in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS, INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING, ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) There are 625 Akashvani FM Transmitters including relay stations, and 388 Private FM channels operational across the country.
- (b) to (d) The modernization and expansion of Akashvani network is a continuous process under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development Scheme (BIND) of Prasar Bharati. The places identified for setting up new Akashvani FM Transmitters is enclosed at Annexure.  Also, the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for e-auction of 730 Pvt. FM Channels in 234 new uncovered cities including 11 cities in Tamil Nadu, details of which are available on Ministry's website www.mib.gov.in. This will enhance access to diverse and local content, increased opportunities for content creators thus encouraging creativity, employment and encouraging local languages as well as cultures.
- (e) There are 521 Community Radio Stations (CRS) operational in the country.

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## Annexure

|   S.No | State/UT         | District                 | Proposed location   |
|--------|------------------|--------------------------|---------------------|
|      1 | Gujarat          | Bhavnagar                | Bhavnagar           |
|      2 | Himachal Pradesh | Mandi                    | Sarkaghat           |
|      3 | Jharkhand        | Giridh                   | Giridh              |
|      4 | Jharkhand        | Kodarma                  | Kodarma             |
|      5 | Madhya pradesh   | Singrauli                | Singrauli           |
|      6 | Uttar Pradesh    | Basti                    | Basti               |
|      7 | Uttar Pradesh    | Etah                     | Etah                |
|      8 | Uttar Pradesh    | Hardoi                   | Hardoi              |
|      9 | Andhra Pradesh   | Kurnool                  | Nandyal             |
|     10 | Andhra Pradesh   | Vishakhapatnam           | Chintapalle         |
|     11 | Andhra Pradesh   | Vizianagaram             | Vizianagaram        |
|     12 | Bihar            | Darbhanga                | Darbhanga           |
|     13 | Bihar            | Gopalganj                | Gopalganj           |
|     14 | Bihar            | Katihar                  | Katihar             |
|     15 | Bihar            | Seharsa                  | Seharsa             |
|     16 | Chhattisgarh     | Bastar                   | Jagdalpur           |
|     17 | Chhattisgarh     | Dakshin Bastar Dantewada | Bailadila           |
|     18 | Chhattisgarh     | Kondagaon                | Kondagaon           |
|     19 | Chhattisgarh     | Narayanpur               | Narayanpur          |
|     20 | Chhattisgarh     | Uttar Bastar Kanker      | Kanker              |
|     21 | Gujarat          | Devbhumi Dwarka          | Devbhumi Dwarka     |
|     22 | Gujarat          | Kachchh                  | Bhuj                |
|     23 | Gujarat          | Patan                    | Radhanpur           |
|     24 | Himachal Pradesh | Chamba                   | Churah              |
|     25 | Jharkhand        | Pakur                    | Pakur               |
|     26 | Jharkhand        | Simdega                  | Simdega             |
|     27 | Karnataka        | Shimoga                  | Shimoga             |
|     28 | Karnataka        | Udupi                    | Udupi               |
|     29 | Ladakh           | Leh                      | Leh                 |
|     30 | Maharashtra      | Bid                      | Ambajogai           |
|     31 | Odissa           | Baleshwar                | Balasore            |
|     32 | Rajasthan        | Ganganagar               | Anupgarh            |
|     33 | Rajasthan        | Jaisalmer                | Jaisalmer           |
|     34 | Rajasthan        | Sikar                    | Sikar               |
|     35 | Tamil Nadu       | Salem                    | Yercaud             |
|     36 | Tamil Nadu       | Thanjavur                | Kumbakonam          |
|     37 | Tamil Nadu       | Vellore                  | Vellore             |
|     38 | Uttar Pradesh    | Farrukhabad              | Farrukhabad         |
|     39 | Uttarakhand      | Nainital                 | Nainital            |

|   S.No | State/UT         | District    | Proposed location   |
|--------|------------------|-------------|---------------------|
|     40 | Uttarakhand      | Pithoragarh | Munasyari           |
|     41 | Uttarakhand      | Pithoragarh | Pithoragarh         |
|     42 | Rajasthan        | Tonk        | Tonk                |
|     43 | Odissa           | Sundergarh  | Bonaigarh           |
|     44 | Rajasthan        | Udaipur     | Vallabhnagar        |
|     45 | Gujarat          | Morbi       | Morbi               |
|     46 | West Bengal      | Darjeeling  | Kalimpong           |
|     47 | Himachal Pradesh | Solan       | Dharampur           |
|     48 | Bihar            | Champaran   | Motihari            |