Lok Sabha Question No. 662 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-02-26
Subject: FM Radio Towers
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, VIJAY KUMAR S.R.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 662 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.02.2016)

## FM RADIO TOWERS

## 662.  SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD: SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

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

- (a)  whether  the Government  proposes  to  install  FM  radio  towers  along international borders to counter anti-India propaganda;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has requested the Government to sanction over two dozen radio FM towers in some selected pockets of the IndoNepal border for the purpose;
- (d)  if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; and
- (e)  the time by which the same are likely to be sanctioned and installed?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## {COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)}

- (a) & (b) Yes, Madam. Prasar Bharati has informed that 27 locations at border areas have been approved for installing FM transmitters under the 12 th  Plan. The details are given at Annexure-A .
- (c)  to  (e)  Sashastra  Seema  Bal  (SSB)  has  indicated 27  locations along  IndiaNepal Border where FM  transmitters can be installed by Prasar Bharati. The details of these locations are given at Annexure-B . Prasar Bharati has informed that there is no approved scheme for installation of FM radio towers at the 27 locations identified by SSB. However, as per 12 th  Plan, 10 kW FM transmitters have been approved to be installed at 8 locations along Indo-Nepal Border areas subject to availability of land. The said scheme may take about three years of time on possession of land.

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ANNEXURE AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 662 FOR ANSWER ON 26.02.2016.

## Annexure-A

## List of 27 AIR Transmitters along the border areas

|   S. No. | Place                    | STATE             | Power of the proposed Transmitters   |
|----------|--------------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
|        1 | Anini /Roing             | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 1 kW FM                              |
|        2 | Changlang                | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 1 kW FM                              |
|        3 | Khonsa                   | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 1 kW FM                              |
|        4 | Karim ganj               | ASSAM             | 1 kW FM                              |
|        5 | Silchar                  | ASSAM             | 5 kW FM                              |
|        6 | Bhuj                     | GUJARAT           | 5 kW FM                              |
|        7 | Green Ridge (Uri Sector) | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 10 kW FM                             |
|        8 | Himbotingla (Kargil)     | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 10 kW FM                             |
|        9 | Nathatop (Udhampur)      | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 10 kW FM                             |
|       10 | Naushera                 | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 10 kW FM                             |
|       11 | Ukhrul                   | MANIPUR           | 1 kW FM                              |
|       12 | Tura                     | MEGHALAYA         | 5 kW FM                              |
|       13 | Dwaki                    | MEGHALAYA         | 1 kW FM                              |
|       14 | Tuipang                  | MIZORAM           | 1 kW FM                              |
|       15 | Champhai                 | MIZORAM           | 1 kW FM                              |
|       16 | Phek                     | NAGALAND          | 1 kW FM                              |
|       17 | Amritsar                 | PUNJAB            | 20 kW FM                             |
|       18 | Fazilka                  | PUNJAB            | 20 kW FM                             |
|       19 | Chauntan hill            | RAJASTHAN         | 20 kW FM                             |
|       20 | Tuticorin                | TAMIL NADU        | 1 kW FM                              |
|       21 | Longtherai               | TRIPURA           | 5 kW FM                              |
|       22 | Nutan bazar              | TRIPURA           | 1 kW FM                              |
|       23 | Champawat                | UTTARAKHAND       | 1 kW FM                              |
|       24 | Balurghat                | WEST BENGAL       | 10 kW FM                             |
|       25 | Darjeeling               | WEST BENGAL       | 10 kW FM                             |
|       26 | Koochbihar               | WEST BENGAL       | 10 kW FM                             |
|       27 | Krishnanagar             | WEST BENGAL       | 10 kW FM                             |

## ANNEXURE AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 662 FOR ANSWER ON 26.02.2016

## ANNEXURE - B

## PROPOSED  LOCATIONS  OF  FM  RADIO  STATIONS  ON  INDO-NEPAL  &  INDOBHUTAN BORDER

|   S. No. | Proposed location for FM Station   | INB/IBB   | State             | District       |
|----------|------------------------------------|-----------|-------------------|----------------|
|        1 | Geyzing                            | INB       | Sikkim            | W/Sikkim       |
|        2 | Thakurganj or Kishanganj           | INB       | Bihar             | Kishanganj     |
|        3 | Jaigaon                            | IBB       | West Bengal       | Alipurduar     |
|        4 | Kumargram                          | IBB       | West Bengal       | Alipurduar     |
|        5 | Gandak Barrage                     | INB       | Bihar             | West Champaran |
|        6 | BOP Inerwa                         | INB       | Bihar             | West Champaran |
|        7 | Raxaul                             | INB       | Bihar             | East Champaran |
|        8 | BOP Bairgania                      | INB       | Bihar             | Sitamarhi      |
|        9 | BOP Majorganj                      | INB       | Bihar             | Sitamarhi      |
|       10 | BOP Sonbarsa                       | INB       | Bihar             | Sitamarhi      |
|       11 | BOP Kanhwa                         | INB       | Bihar             | Sitamarhi      |
|       12 | BOP Sursand                        | INB       | Bihar             | Sitamarhi      |
|       13 | Jaynagar                           | INB       | Bihar             | Madhubani      |
|       14 | BOP Laukaha                        | INB       | Bihar             | Madhubani      |
|       15 | BOP Dhada                          | INB       | Bihar             | Supaul         |
|       16 | BOP Satna                          | INB       | Bihar             | Supaul         |
|       17 | BOP Jogbani                        | INB       | Bihar             | Araria         |
|       18 | Tulsipur                           | INB       | UP                | Balrampur      |
|       19 | Nowgarh                            | INB       | UP                | Siddarthnagar  |
|       20 | Babaganj                           | INB       | UP                | Bahraich       |
|       21 | Pithoragarh                        | INB       | Uttarakhand       | Pithoragarh    |
|       22 | Tanakpur                           | INB       | Uttarakhand       | Champawat      |
|       23 | Dharchulla                         | INB       | Uttarakhand       | Pithoragarh    |
|       24 | Darranga                           | IBB       | Assam             | Baksa          |
|       25 | Kajalgaon                          | IBB       | Assam             | Chirang        |
|       26 | Tawang                             | IBB       | Arunachal Pradesh | Tawang         |
|       27 | Bomdila                            | IBB       | Arunachal Pradesh | Bomdila        |

INB - Indo-Nepal Border

IBB - Indo-Bhutan Border

Note : - Language/Dialects of local populace-Nepali, Maithali, Tharu, Bhojpuri, Hindi etc.