DD, AIR digitalisation plan gets Rs1,540-crore outlay
08 Apr 2010
The government has approved a Rs1,540-crore upgradation programme for state-owned broadcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) involving digitalisation of transmitters and studios in Doordarshan network in the 11th Plan period.
The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) today gave its approval to the proposal of the ministry of information and broadcasting in a bid to help meet challenges posed by private operators in the broadcasting business.
The scheme involves installation of 40 digital terrestrial transmitters (DTTs) and networking of DTT through satellite besides augmentation of DMCs by providing equipment and facilities for maintaining the digital infrastructure.
It also involves provision of 5 sets of digital measurement equipment at zonal offices, providing 60 UPSs at HPTs for uninterrupted power supply, R&D and training, digitalisation of 31 partially digitalised and eight analogue studio centers, digitalisation of archiving facilities, digitalisation of news automation system and e-governance and IT scheme.
"This process of digitalisation of both Doordarshan and Akashvani (AIR) will enable the most vulnerable sections of our people in the remotest of the remote areas to receive higher quality of AIR and Doordarshan signals," information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said after the CCI meeting.
She said the 11th Plan has earmarked Rs620 crore for digitalisation of DD and Rs920 crore for AIR.