State-owned cable operator Arasu re-launched in Tamil Nadu
03 Sep 2011
Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalithaa on Friday re-launched the services of state-owned network Arasu Cable TV Corp Ltd, which had become defunct under the previous DMK regime, in all districts except Chennai, where the conditional access system (CAS) is in force.
Tellingly, Arasu does not carry the bouquet of popular Sun TV, which is owned by political rivals in the DMK – although a report said that negotiations were on with Sun executives.
Arasu would initially make available 90 channels, including some pay channels, at a monthly charge of just Rs70.
Jayalalithaa had proposed to nationalise the cable TV business during her earlier 2001-06 regime, but could not do it as the then governor refused to give his assent to the bill on the ground that the subject comes under the centre's purview.
In the 13 April assembly election campaign, Jayalalithaa made an electoral promise to end the monopoly in the cable TV business and to nationalise it.
Launching the services through a video conferencing facility from the Fort St George, the chief minister said that with this, the ''monopoly of a single family'' in the business has come to an end. The AIADMK government has ensured that the people get cable TV services at a very lower price, she said.