Lok Sabha Question No. 198 (STARRED), answered on 2016-05-06
Subject: Tender Policy of Prasar Bharti
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: ANURAG SINGH THAKUR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 198

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.05.2016)

## TENDER POLICY OF PRASAR BHARTI

*198.  SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:

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

- (a) whether the Ministry is cognizant that the Prasar Bharti has been reducing its revised estimate over the years due to inability to get tenders for major items like  Digital  Terrestrial  Television  (DTT)  transmitters.  DTH  Set  Top  Boxes (STBs) etc., if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken by the Ministry/Prasar Bharti to correct this trend;
- (c) whether the Doordarshan is not able to show similar swiftness in completing projects and utilisation of funds in other projects like Kisan Channel and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) whether the Ministry plans to revise the tender policy on the lines of private broadcasters, if so, the details thereof and if not, reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE; MINISTER OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI ARUN JAITLEY)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*198 FOR ANSWER ON 06.05.2016.

(a) & (b) Prasar Bharati has informed that Revised Estimates (REs) are prepared to optimize utilization of allocated funds according to the progress of various projects and time schedule of supply of equipment/works. Out of the REs during the last three years, reduction in RE during 2013-14 with reference to Budget Estimate (BE) 2013-14 was marginal.  During 2014-15, reduction in RE was largely due to cancellation of tenders received  on  e-procurement  portal,  Cancellation  of  tenders  on  techno-commercial evaluation, delay in supply of equipment etc.  During the year 2015-16, RE was reduced due  to  various  reasons  such  as  time  taken  regarding  decision  on  clustering  &  declustering of digital transmitters, non participation of bidders in tendering process etc.

The alternatives available for the technical/technology choices and the plan of action, with the chosen technology, require wide consultations which consume time and, to  prevent  sub-optimal  choices,  expenditure  is  postponed.  This,  at  times,  leads  to reduction in plan expenditure at RE stage. This also was a contributing factor in the last 2 years.

(c)   The equipment required for full fledged Studio production for Kisan channel, under Capital component, are yet to be procured which are at various stages of procurement. Since the channel was to be launched in a short time, interim technical facilities were setup  at  Central  Production  Centre  (CPC),  Delhi  to  meet  out  the  minimum  functional requirement for launching the new channel. The Interim technical setup, broadly meeting the requirement of Studio Production, Electronic News Gathering (ENG) production, Postproduction & Play-out was arranged from the existing technical facilities available at CPC Kendra as well as through diversion from other Kendras in the network.

Though,  almost  95%  of  the  Plan  expenditure  of  Prasar  Bharati  currently involves  technical  equipment,  the  question  of  rollout  of  Kisan  Channel  was  mainly dependent on selection of suitable content and not technical equipment. However, it is Prasar Bharati's endeavour to provide momentum to technical infrastructure projects also.

(d)  Doordarshan  follows  rules  &  procedures  based  on  the  guidelines  given  in  the Directorate General of Supplies & Disposals (DGS&D) Manual, GFR 2005 and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) guidelines for procurement of Capital equipment/Turnkey projects on Supply, Installation, Testing and Commissioning (SITC) basis etc. Tenders are invited through e-procurement mode, as per the mandate of Ministry of Finance, and according  to  the  Standard  Bidding  Document  prescribed  by  the  Prasar  Bharati. Ministry/Prasar Bharati have no plans to follow the policy (ies) of private broadcasters in so far as procurement of equipment/finalization of tenders is concerned.

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