Also okay 3 railways projects worth Rs 6,456 cr
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday approved the roll-out of 730 FM radio channels in 234 new cities and towns with an estimated reserve price of Rs 784.87 crore.
Many of the approved cities and towns are in ‘Aspirational Districts’, left-wing extremism (LWE)-affected areas and border districts, and FM radio channels in these areas will further strengthen the government outreach in these areas.
The Cabinet greenlighted the proposal for the third batch of ascending e-auctions for 730 channels under the ‘Private FM Radio Phase Ill Policy’.
The move is also set to boost local content in mother tongue and create new employment opportunities
The Cabinet also approved the proposal to charge annual license fee (ALF) of FM channel as 4 per cent of gross revenue, excluding goods and services tax (GST), which will be applicable for 234 new cities and towns.
“The FM radio rollout will fulfil the unmet demand in new cities and towns, which still remain uncovered by the private FM radio broadcasting and bring new and local content in mother tongue,” said the government.
The move will also lead to creation of new employment opportunities, boost to local dialect and culture and ‘vocal for local’ initiatives.
There are nearly 400 private FM radio channels functioning in the country. Last year, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) reportedly started working on a proposal allowing private FM radio channels to broadcast news.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has also made several recommendations related to FM radio broadcasting in the recent past.
Last month, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s 500th community radio station at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in Aizawl, Mizoram.
This milestone in India’s community radio journey will bring a substantive change in the lives of people in the coverage area of Apna Radio station, said Minister Vaishnaw.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved three projects of Ministry of Railways with a total estimated cost of Rs 6,456 crore and to be completed by up to 2028-29.
The projects will also generate direct employment for about 114 lakh man-days during construction.
The three projects cover seven districts in four states — Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh – and will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 300 kms.
With these projects — the result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity — 14 new stations will be constructed, providing enhancing connectivity to two aspirational districts (Nuapada and East Singhbum).
“New line projects will provide connectivity to approximately 1,300 villages and about 11 lakh population. Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to about 1,300 villages and nearly 19 lakh population,” the CCEA said in a statement.
The approved projects will improve logistical efficiency by connecting the unconnected areas, increase the existing line capacity and enhancing transportation networks, resulting in streamlined supply chains and accelerated economic growth.
The new line proposals will provide direct connectivity and improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways.
According to the government, these are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertiliser, coal, iron ore, steel, cement and limestone, etc.
The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 45 MTPA (million tonnes per annum).
Earlier this month, the CCEA approved eight railways projects worth about Rs 24,657 crore. The new line projects, to be completed by 2030-2031, will generate direct employment for about three crore man-days during the construction period.
The projects cover 14 districts in seven states — Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, and West Bengal. These will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by 900 km.
