Lok Sabha Question No. 2288 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-11
Subject: Community Radio Stations
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY, M. CHANDRAKASI, PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY, HUKUM SINGH, SULTAN  AHMED, PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2288

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2015)

## COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS

## 2288.  DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY:

SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI:

SHRI PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY:

SHRI HUKUM SINGH:

SHRI SULTAN AHMED;

SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL:

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

- (a)  the  salient  features  of  the  Community  Radio  Stations  (CRSs)  along  with  the  details  of guidelines prepared, criteria fixed, funding provision made available for setting up of CRS;
- (b) the number of CRS functioning in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to set up more CRS in the country, if so, the details thereof along with timeframe fixed for operationalising the same, location and State/UT-wise including West Bengal and Jharkhand;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  that  many  CRSs  are  transmitting  programmes illegally and if so, the details thereof along with the corrective measures taken/being taken in this regard including review of functioning of CRSs; and
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  for  facilitating  enhanced  role  of  the  State Governments to set up CRSs, if so, the details thereof along with the other steps being taken by the  Government  to  harness  the  potential  of  CRSs  as  an  important  tool  for  empowerment  of masses?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING [COL.RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

- (a)  Community  Radio  Station  (CRS)  is  a  low-power  radio  station  operated  by  the  local community/local organisation for development communication. It provides an opportunity to the community to speak about issues concerning their lives. CRS operate on Frequency Modulation (FM), which is easily accessed by people on their radio sets or mobile phones.

Permission to set up CRS is granted in accordance with Policy Guidelines for setting up of CRS in India, which are available on Ministry's website, www.mib.nic.in.

Policy  Guidelines  for  setting  up  of  CRS  in  India  allow  setting  up  of  CRS  by  Not-for-Profit organisations like educational institutions, NGOs/Registered Societies, Trusts and Krishi Vigyan Kendras etc.

CRS permission Holders are eligible to apply for financial assistance on purchase of equipment under the Plan Scheme, 'Supporting Community Radio Movement in India'. Detailed guidelines for providing financial assistance to CRS are also available on Ministry's website, www.mib.nic.in.

(b) At present 188 CRS are functioning in the country. State/UT-wise details are at Annexure.

(c)  Grant  of  permission  to  organisations  to  set  up  Community  Radio  Stations  is  a  continuous process. Eligible organizations can apply to set up CRS in any part of the country including West Bengal  and  Jharkhand.  Permission  is  granted,  subject  to  fulfillment  of  eligibility  criteria  and receipt of clearances from Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing of Ministry of Communication & IT, as the case may be.

(d)  Grant  of  Permission  Agreement  (GOPA)  of  100  CRSs  have  completed  5  years  term,  as specified in policy guidelines. A reference was made to TRAI on 8 th January 2014 to examine issues arising out of the expiry of the period of GOPA and provide its recommendations to the Ministry. TRAI replied on 23.01.2014 that till recommendations are made, Ministry may renew CRS  GOPAs  for  an  interim  period.  TRAI  has  submitted  its  recommendations  on  renewal  of GOPA. Meanwhile Ministry is in the process of renewing GOPAs, pending decision on TRAI recommendations.

Review  of  the  functioning  of  CRSs  is  a  continuous  exercise  in  the  Ministry.  Every  year,  a detailed report about operating CR Stations is brought out in the form of CR Compendium. So far,  5  editions  of  CR  compendiums  have  been  published  which  are  available  on  Ministry's website www.mib.nic.in. An Inter Ministerial Committee has also been constituted to review the functioning of this sector. This Committee meets regularly and takes stock of the progress made and challenges being faced by the Community Radio Stations.

(e) As per clause 8(ii) of the policy guidelines for setting up of community radio station in India, Central  &  State  Governments  can  engage  community  radio  stations  to  broadcast  public  interest information and sponsored programmes. Ministry has finalised guidelines for sponsored programmes on community radio stations, which are available on Ministry's website, www.mib.nic.in.  State  Governments  can  engage  with  community  radio  stations  on  the  basis  of guidelines issued by the Ministry.

***

## Annexure as referred to in part (b) of the LSUSQ No. 2288 to be answered on 11.12.2015

## State/UT wise details of Operational Community Radio Stations in India

| Sr. No.           | STATE/ UT                   | NUMBER OF OPERATIONAL CRS   |
|-------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 1                 | Andhra Pradesh              | 5                           |
| 2                 | Arunachal Pradesh           | Nil                         |
| 3                 | Assam                       | 3                           |
| 4                 | Bihar                       | 5                           |
| 5                 | Chhattisgarh                | 3                           |
| 6                 | Goa                         | Nil                         |
| 7                 | Gujarat                     | 6                           |
| 8                 | Haryana                     | 9                           |
| 9                 | Himachal Pradesh            | 2                           |
| 10                | Jammu and Kashmir           | 1                           |
| 11                | Jharkhand                   | 1                           |
| 12                | Karnataka                   | 14                          |
| 13                | Kerala                      | 8                           |
| 14                | Madhya Pradesh              | 15                          |
| 15                | Maharashtra                 | 17                          |
| 16                | Manipur                     | Nil                         |
| 17                | Meghalaya                   | Nil                         |
| 18                | Mizoram                     | Nil                         |
| 19                | Nagaland                    | Nil                         |
| 20                | Orissa                      | 9                           |
| 21                | Punjab                      | 3                           |
| 22                | Rajasthan                   | 8                           |
| 23                | Sikkim                      | Nil                         |
| 24                | Tamil Nadu                  | 27                          |
| 25                | Telangana                   | 5                           |
| 26                | Tripura                     | Nil                         |
| 27                | Uttarakhand                 | 9                           |
| 28                | Uttar Pradesh               | 23                          |
| 29                | West Bengal                 | 3                           |
| Union Territories | Union Territories           |                             |
| 30                | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Nil                         |
| 31                | Chandigarh                  | 3                           |
| 32                | NCT of Delhi                | 6                           |
| 33                | Dadra and Nagar Haveli      | Nil                         |
| 34                | Daman and Diu               | Nil                         |
| 35                | Lakshadweep                 | Nil                         |
| 36                | Puducherry                  | 3                           |
| GRAND TOTAL       |                             | 188                         |