India – 65 per cent of population to be covered under FM network

About 52 per cent of country’s population is being covered by FM transmitters of radio and soon the coverage would extend up to 65per cent.

Lok Sabha was informed last week. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore gave this information in the Lower House during Question Hour. Replying to supplementary questions from members, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani said, 57 All India Radio (AIR) towers are shared with private broadcasters on rental basis.

The revenue from sharing of AIR/DD towers during 2016-17 was about Rs 41 crore. Ms Irani told the House that Prasar Bharati has informed that as of now at 32 places BSNL or MTNL are using Prasar Bharati infrastructure on rental basis. To questions from Raju Shetty of Swabhimani Paksha, Ms Irani said, in order to synergise efforts for multiple utilisation of resources and sharing of existing capacities towers of both Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Department of Telecommunications (including BSNL and MTNL) have been formed on January 28 in 2015 to ascertain technical feasibility and decide terms and conditions of infrastructure sharing.

The Indian government also informed that about 280 towers of various heights are available with All India Radio.