Major Boost for Public Service Broadcasting: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approves Central Sector BIND Scheme with an outlay of Rs.2,539.61 crore up to 2025-26

Major Boost for Public Service Broadcasting: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approves Central Sector 'Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND)' Scheme with an outlay of Rs.2,539.61 crore up to 2025-26.

- FM Coverage of AIR to increase to cover more than 80 per cent of the country's population

-  8 lakh DD Free Dish DTH Set Top Boxes (DTBs) to be distributed to people living in remote, tribal, Left Wing Extremism (LWE), border areas and aspirational districts

04 Jan 2023 4:07PM by PIB Delhi

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the proposal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regarding Central Sector Scheme "Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development" (BIND) at a cost of ₹2,539.61 crore for infrastructure development of Prasar Bharati i.e. All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD). The "Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development" scheme of the Ministry is the vehicle for providing financial support to Prasar Bharati for expenses related to expansion and upgradation of its broadcasting infrastructure, content development and civil work related to the organization.

Prasar Bharati, as the public broadcaster of the country, is the most important vehicle of information, education, entertainment and engagement for the people especially in the remote areas of the country through Doordarshan and All India Radio. Prasar Bharati played a stellar role in communicating public health messages and awareness to the public during the covid pandemic.

The BIND scheme will enable the public broadcaster to undertake a major upgradation of its facilities with better infrastructure which will widen its reach, including in the LWE, border and strategic areas and provide high quality content to the viewers. Another major priority area of the scheme is the development of high-quality content for both domestic and international audience and ensuring availability of diverse content to the viewers by upgradation of capacity of DTH platform to accommodate more channels. Purchase of OB vans and digital upgradation of DD and AIR Studios to make them HD ready will be also be done as part of the project.

At present, Doordarshan operates 36 TV channels including 28 regional channels and All India Radio operates more than 500 broadcasting centres. The Scheme will increase coverage of AIR FM transmitters in the country to 66% by geographical area and 80% by population up from 59% and 68% respectively. The Scheme also envisages free distribution of over 8 lakh DD Free Dish STBs to people living in remote, tribal, LWE and border areas.

In addition to enhancing the scope of public broadcasting, the Project for modernization and augmentation of broadcast infrastructure also has the potential to generate indirect employment by way of manufacturing and services related to supply and installation of broadcast equipment. Content generation and content innovation for AIR & DD has the potential of indirect employment of persons with varied experience of different media fields in the content production sector including TV/Radio production, transmission and associated media related services. Further, the project for expansion of the reach of DD Free Dish is expected to generate employment opportunities in the manufacturing of the DD Free Dish DTH Boxes.

Government of India reiterates its commitment to the development, modernization and strengthening of Doordarshan and Akashvani (Prasar Bharati) infrastructure and services, which is a continuous process.

Press Release

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Akashvani is looking for reception reports

Akashvani (All India radio) is looking for reception reports for below mentioned transmissions.

All reception reports will be verified by paper QSL cards.

UTC           Language kHz (Tx site)     Target Area
-------------------------------------------------------------------
0100-0130 Sindhi     9860 (B)      Pakistan
0100-0230 Tibetan   11710 (D)     Tibet
0300-0430 Baluchi   11805 (D)    Pakistan
0430-0600 Dari        11805 (D)     Afghanistan
0430-0600 Pashtu    15185 (B)     Afghanistan
0900-1030 Nepali    11865 (D) 15410 (B) Nepal
1030-1200 Chinese  15410 (B)     China
1045-1215 Tibetan   11865 (D)     Tibet
1230-1330 Baluchi   9870 (D)      Pakistan
1230-1400 Pashtu    11810 (B)     Afghanistan
1330-1500 Dari        9870 (D)      Afghanistan

Reception Reports to: spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in

Transmitter Sites :
B - Bengaluru ( 3 x 250 kW)
D - New Delhi (2 x 100 kW)

Akashvani Jagdalpur MW Tower collapsed !

Akashvani Jagdalpur MW off air

MW tower of Akashvani Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh state  has fallen down on 21 Feb 2025 afternoon  in heavy winds, thus there is no transmission on 756 kHz in AM Mode and 747 kHz in DRM Mode with 100 kW transmitter. According to press reports the tower was 168 meters high and 48 years old. The transmission is now only on 100.1 MHz with 100 watts.

This station was commissioned on 22nd of January, 1977 with the transmitting capacity of 2x10 KW which was later increased to 100 KW.

Source : https://www.thegazette.in/2025/02/48-year-old-168-meter-high-tower-of-Akashvani-Jagdalpur-collapses-20250222.html

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad)

Akashvani North Eastern Service revamps its programmes

Akashvani North Eastern Service, formerly known as All India Radio, North Eastern Service, established in 1990 in Shillong, connects the 8 North Eastern States through diverse programmes. Since its inception, it has fostered harmony among the North Eastern communities through a blend of news, music, and spoken word in various languages and tribes. The programmes are constantly evolving to meet listener demands.

The North Eastern Service will be revamping its programmes starting June 15, 2024, catering to all age groups in the North East with talks, interviews, features, and music. Fixed timings and days have been allotted to programmes for children (every Sunday at 1pm), youth (Wednesdays at 6:45pm), women(Saturdays at 1pm), senior citizens (Mondays at 1:30pm)and labourers (Fridays at 9:30pm). Snippets from NE (daily at 7:30am), Success stories, Start up of the month (4th Saturday of every month)and Listeners feedback (1st Sunday of the month @2:30pm in Hindi and 2nd Tuesday of the month at 8:35am in English) are also being introduced, to engage a wider audience.

Tune in to Akashvani North Eastern Service daily from 6 am to 10:30 pm IST on FM 100.1 MHz, "Newsonair" mobile app, or DTH to be a part of our programmes.

We look forward to any feedback from our listeners and well wishers. Furthermore, we welcome scriptwriters for our spoken word programmes and artists who sing in any language/dialect of the North East including western music. The songs may be modern, folk or devotional etc.

For more information please visit our Station in Lower Lachaumiere, Near Governor's House and MBOSE office. You may also contact us on the email ID: shillong.nes@prasarbharati.gov.in

(AIR NES, Shillong)

Akashvani External Services - Latest changes

The Updated schedule of Akashvani External Services  (formerly known as All India Radio) is in their official web site as follows:

https://prasarbharati.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/External-Services-07032024.pdf

Latest changes :

1045-1215 UTC Tibetan 9875 (Ex 9735) via  New Delhi 100 kW
1230-1330 UTC Baluchi  9875 (Ex 9735) via  New Delhi 100 kW

The same is reflected in HFCC registrations also

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Lays the Foundation Stone for Akashvani Dahod FM Relay Station Project

27 SEP 2023 6:30PM by PIB Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation Stone for Akashvani Dahod FM Relay Station Project in Gujarat. The foundation Stone plaque for the 10 Kilo watt FM Relay Station was unveiled virtually by the Prime Minister along with other projects at an event in Bodeli in the state.

This station will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs. 11.00 Crore and is strategically located to cover approximately a 55 km radius area, encompassing approximately 75% of the tribal district of Dahod. Moreover, this transmitter will also partially cover the neighbouring tribal districts of Madhya Pradesh, including Alirajpur and Jhabua.

With the launch of the Dahod station, over 25 lakh residents of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh will gain access to high-quality FM broadcasts. This development not only enriches the cultural and informational tapestry of the region but also facilitates better communication and connectivity for the communities it serves.

In addition to this, Prasar Bharati is also working on the installation of FM transmitters in key locations, including Bhuj, Bhavnagar, Dwarka, Radhanpur, and Dessa with varying power capacities at a cost of more than 39 crores. These projects are part of the Broadcast Infrastructure Network Development  Scheme funded by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The projects when completed and made operational will increase the FM coverage in the state to approximately 65% of the state's area and will enable a reach of about 77% of its population. These projects mark a significant stride toward providing quality radio entertainment and information to a broader audience.

Earlier in the month of April this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Ninety One  100 W FM transmitters strengthening Akashvani FM's presence across the country. As of now, Akashvani boasts a total of 613 functional FM transmitters in India, providing FM radio services to approximately 59.2% of the country's area and serving about 73.5% of the population.  In addition, the Akashvani AM network operating on medium wave already covers 88% of area and 95% of the population of the country.

Akashvani FM is committed to delivering high-quality and diverse content to millions of listeners across the nation. With a rich history and a forward-looking approach, Akashvani FM continues to be a trusted source of entertainment, information, and cultural enrichment.

*****
Saurabh Singh
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

Special broadcasts by Akashvani (All India Radio) for Independence Day (15 Aug 2023)

India is celebrating its 77th Independence Day on 15 August 2023, details of special programs by Akashvani (All India Radio) for the occasion is as follows:

14th August 2023 (Monday) 1330 UTC (7.00 pm IST) onwards "Address to the Nation" on the eve of Independence Day in Hindi and English by Smt.Draupadi Murmu, Hon'ble President of India.

All stations of  Akashvani (All India Radio) will relay this on MW, SW & FM.

MW Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/mw/freq.htm
FM Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/fm/airfreq.htm

Also on DTH Channels/ airlivenews 24x7
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

15th August 2023 (Tuesday) 0130-0240 UTC (0700-0810 hrs IST)

Akashvani (All India Radio) will live broadcast the running commentary in English and Hindi on the Flag Hoisting and Prime Minister's address to the nation to be held at Red Fort, New Delhi between 0130-0240 UTC (0700-0810 hrs IST) on 15th August, 2023 on the following SW frequencies.

English:
15050 Bengaluru 500 kW

Hindi:
11560   New Delhi 100 kW
15410 Bangalore 500 kW

The Regional SW Stations will start using their day time frequencies about 1 hour or more earlier than usual on 15th August as follows to relay the commentary. This may provide enhanced reception of stations than on normal days.

Other frequencies operating as usual at that time but carrying the commentary is as follows :

kHz     kW       Station
-----------------------------
4760    2.5       Leh          

All stations of  Akashvani (AIR) on MW, FM & 'Akashvani AIR' YouTube Channel will relay the running commentary.

MW Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/mw/freq.htm

FM Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/fm/airfreq.htm

Live streaming of the above programs is available in:

https://www.youtube.com/@akashvaniair

http://allindiaradio.gov.in/

https://mib.gov.in/media/all-india-radio

Reception Reports to :

Please submit your reception reports on line at: https://prasarbharati.gov.in/reception-report/

or by email to:  spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in

or by postal mail to :

Director (Spectrum Management & Synergy)
Alkashvani (All India Radio),
Room No. 204, Akashvani Bhawan,
Parliament Street
New Delhi110001, India

Watch the events live on Doordarshan TV  on all their channels .Try the following links:

DD National:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3RhpgO2ItQ

DD News: http://webcast.gov.in/

Akashvani Delhi team that will bring to you all the running commentary of Independence Day 2023 Celebrations from the historic Red Fort.

(Photo courtesy @AkashvaniAIR on twitter)

(Jose Jacob & Alokesh Gupta)

AIR starts weekly news bulletin in "Halbi' language

All India Radio has started a weekly news bulletin in "Halbi' language with effect from 26th March, 2023.

The 15-minute-long weekly news bulletin will be broadcast from All India Radio Jagdalpur station every Sunday at 7:30 am.

Virtually Inaugurating the news service of Prasar-Bharti in the 'Halbi' dialect of Bastar, Home Minister Amit Shah noted that this day is a great matter of joy for Chhattisgarh. In a tweet, Mr Shah expressed delight at enabling the people of that region to know the news of the country and the world in the local language through this broadcast. .

Chief Executive officer of Prasar Bharati Gaurav Dwivedi was also present on the occasion. While talking to media, he said that local languages and dialects prove to be most effective in providing news and other information to people in remote rural areas.

 

All India Radio to broadcast its Annual Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on December 3, 2022

All India Radio will broadcast the annual Edition of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on Saturday, December 3, 2022. Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla will deliver the address. It will be on air from 9.30pm onwards on Saturday, December 3, 2022 across the entire network of All India Radio. Listeners can tune into 100.1FM GOLD, 102.6 FM Rainbow, primary Channels of All India Radio, @airnewsalerts on Twitter, NewsOnAirOfficial YouTube Channel and NewsOnAir App to access the broadcast.

Doordarshan News will telecast Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture from 10.30pm onwards the same day.

The theme this year is "Amrit Kaal Mein Bhartiyata" to coincide with the 75 years of India's independence.

About Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture:

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Le ture is organized by All lndia Radio in the memory of the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad who was an epitome of simplicity, a renowned scholar, President of the Constituent Assembly and a great visionary who had India and Indianness uppermost in his mind.

The lecture series by AIR in his memory has been an honoured tradition since 1969. Eminent personalities like the former President Dr. Shankardayal Sharma, former P
rime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, firmer Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu, doyens of Indian literature like Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Mahadevi Verma, Harivansh Rai Bachchan are among those who have delivered this prestigious memorial lecture in the past on wide ranging subjects on India's cultural ethos and its strides.

The recording of the lecture, is broadcast across the entire network of All lndia Radio on 3rd December every year to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The lecture series seeks to evaluate the nation's political, cultural and social environment. The achievements and the future prospects of the country are also critically analysed through these lectures.

(Saurabh Singh, Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)

Implementation of Broadcast Air-Time Scheduler (BATS) for all Commercial Operations of All India Radio

Implementation of Broadcast Air-Time Scheduler (BATS) for all Commercial Operations of All India Radio

In view to streamline and automate the commercial operations of Prasar Bharati, Shri Mayank Agarwal, CEO, PB and Shri D.P.S. Negi, Member (Finance), PB inaugurated a fully integrated Traffic & Billing application software "Broadcast Air-Time Scheduler (BATS)" for all Commercial Operations of All India Radio" on 7th November, 2022 at Prasar Bharati Secretariat.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Mayank Agarwal, CEO, Prasar Bharati said that "AIR adopts integrated system for better services. BATS can bring about transparency into the entire operations and make the entire commercial operations very efficient. It allows monitoring of booking, billing and payment receipts etc. at various stages and system can provide various reports which are very essential in taking many management decisions. App is also available on mobile. Software is menu driven enterprise which has been customized to the need of All India Radio making it more handy and useful."

Member Finance Shri D.P.S. Negi also said that "the most important advantage of full implementation of BATS will be to make the Receivable Management more effective and transparent. This will ensure that revenue leakages are avoided and will ensure 100% revenue assurance for the services rendered. It can be said that it's a great milestone in the history of All India Radio to roll out BATS."

BATS has been provided by M/s. Media Nucleus and has the following important features:

- To manage the scheduling and billing of advertising orders across multiple stations via one central

   database.

- Contracts are handled seamlessly from Release Order entry to single or multi-invoice billing.

- Increases operational efficiency and reduces cost.

- Media Sales Traffic increases the efficiency of the organization by providing traffic team a flexible

   solution for planning, scheduling and billing of spots.

- Ensures accurate billing by effectively managing account hierarchy, different Package and Products,

  Pricing plans, Content Rights Management, Automated Ad Booking along with Discounts offered on 

  bulk deals, Charges, and Billing cycle Invoicing.

- Payment processing and collections through integrated Payment Gateway of SBI.

****

(Saurabh Singh, Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)

India’s Public Service Broadcaster Prasar Bharati Launches New Logo

Prasar Bharati India's public broadcaster, unveiled its new logo on 11th July 2022 & with that added a new chapter in its glorious history.

The new logo was released by the Secretary I&B Shri Apurva Chandra, in the presence of CEO Prasar Bharati Shri Mayank Kumar Agrawal, Prasar Bharati, Member (Finance) Shri DPS Negi, and senior officers of Ministry of I&B and Prasar Bharati.

The new logo of Prasar Bharti is replete with rich meaning. In the new logo symbol for Prasar Bharati, an autonomous statutory body under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the elements in the central circle and map of India signify the service of trust, security, and perfection for the common man. The organization started as All India Radio (AIR) in the past and Doordarshan (DD) was born to cater television services later and finally came Prasar Bharati (PB) by enactment of an act by the parliament, which is visualized in the logo identity as emerging and evolving from the centre.

While the elements in the central circle and map of India signify the service of trust, security and perfection to the Nation, its colour, 'Dark Moderate Blue' represents both the sky and the sea and is associated with open spaces, freedom, intuition, imagination, inspiration, and sensitivity. Blue also represents meanings of depth, trust, loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, confidence, stability, faith, and intelligence. The colour blue also pays tribute to the Indian ethos and traditions associated with religious figures, mythological characters found in the Indian miniature paintings.

On the occasion of unveiling of the new logo, Prasar Bharti's Member (Personnel) Shri DPS Negi opined that in the earlier format, the corporate office of Prasar Bharati used both AIR and Doordarshan logos on both the sides of the written text 'PRASAR BHARATI' along with the Indian emblem in the middle. Inspired from the identities of both AIR and Doordarshan, the new logo of Prasar Bharati is defined as a blend of both AIR and Doordarshan. It not only encloses the elements from their visual identities, but it also leverages their colour combinations, to complement the identity of PB as a public service broadcaster.

Headquartered in New Delhi, Prasar Bharati  is a statutory autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament. It comprises of the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio (AIR), which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

(Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)