| MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING |
| UNSTARRED |
QUESTION NO: |
886 |
| COMMUNITY RADIO STATION |
| K. ASHOK KUMAR |
Will the Minister of
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INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING |
be pleased to state:-
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(a) the details of operational Community Radio Stations (CRSs) in the country, State/UT- wise along with the details of guidelines prepared, criteria fixed, funding provision made available for setting up of CRS by educational institutions, registered societies, trusts and NGOs etc.;
(b) whether applications have been received by the Government for setting up of CRS in the various States of the country during the last three years;
(c) if so, the details and present status thereof, State / UT-wise including Karnataka;
(d) whether the Government is taking steps to relax various inter-ministerial and intra- ministerial clearance for operating a CRS. if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether the Government plans to set up CRS in border areas and other remote areas of the country, as a measure to improve communication in such areas, if so, the details thereof? |
| ANSWER |
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
(COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]
(a) 179 Community Radio Stations (CRSs) are presently operational in the country. State/ UT-wise details of operational CRSs are available on Ministry’s website, www.mib.nic.in. 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 allows setting up of CRS by Not-for- Profit organisations like educational institutions, NGOs/Registered Societies, Trusts and Krishi Vigyan Kendras etc.
(b) & (c) Since 01.01.2012, Government has received 689 applications for setting up of CRS in the country. Present status of these applications, including Karnataka, is as below:
i)Letters of Intent issued: 76
ii)Referred back to applicants: 263
iii)Referred to concerned Ministries: 65
iv)Returned/rejected: 285
The details of applications are available on Ministry’s website, www.mib.nic.in.
Status of applications received from Karnataka is as follows:
i)Total no. of applications received: 41
ii)Letters of Intent issued : 05
iii)Referred back to applicants: 13
iv)Referred to concerned Ministries: 10
v)Returned/rejected: 13
(d) Permission to set up CRS is granted subject to fulfilment of eligibility criteria and receipt of mandatory clearances from Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing of Ministry of Communications & Information Technology. Clearances are also obtained from Ministry of Human Resource Development in case of Educational Institutions and Ministry of Agriculture in case of State Agriculture Institutions, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions and Krishi Vigyan Kendras. To expedite these clearances Ministry is holding co-ordination meetings with concerned Ministries/Departments. These clearances are mandatory.
(e) Grant of permission to organisations to set up Community Radio Stations (CRS) is a continuous process. Policy Guidelines for setting up of Community Radio Stations (CRS) in India allows setting up of CRS inter-alia by educational institutions & community based organizations, subject to fulfilment of eligibility criteria, in any part of the country including border areas and other remote areas. These Community Radio Stations, set up as per the policy, can be effectively used to improve communication in such areas. |
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