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[8 August, 2005] RAJYA SABHA
प्रदेश में जो पिछड़ी जाति की सूची में शामिल नहीं हैं तो क्या उनको शामिल करने के लिए केन्द्र
संरकार का कोई निर्देश होगा? सभापति महोदय, मेरा 8 पार्ट है कि आज भी तमाम ऐसी पिछड़ी
जातियाँ हैं ...( व्यवधान)...
श्री सभापति: वह क्वैश्चन इसमें नहीं है। इस क्वैश्वन को आप पढ़िए। आपका यह
सप्लीमेंटरी इसके purview में नहीं आता है। ...(व्यवधान)... अलग से क्वैश्चन करिए।
श्री दारा सिंह चौहान: सर, यह सही है कि पिछड़ी जातियां ... (व्यवधान)... तमाम ऐसी
कई जातियाँ हैं और किसी-किसी प्रदेश में जो अर्द्ध-पछड़ी जातियों में शामिल हैं, जिनकी आर्थिक
और सामाजिक स्थिति आज.-भी बहुत ही दयनीय है और प्रदेश से अनुसूचित जाति में शामिल होने
का जो प्रस्ताव केन्द्र को आया है, तो क्या मंत्री महोदया बताने की कृपा करेंगी कि जो प्रस्ताव प्राप्त
हुआ है, उन पिछड़ी जाति के लोगों ने जो अनुसूची में शामिल होने का आवेदन किया है तो AT:
अनुसूचित जाति में शामिल होने का निर्देश जारी करेंगे और न होने का कारण क्या है?
श्री सभापति: ठीक है।|३७)४ Question 205. ...(/nterruptions)...
श्री दारा सिंह चौहान: सर, हमारे प्रश्न का उत्तर नहीं आया।
श्री सभापति: आप इस क्वैश्चन को पढ़ लीजिए फिर आपको अपने आप उत्तर मालूम हो
जाएगा।
FM Radio Policy Phase-ll
*205. SHR! N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: Will the Minister of
INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government implemented the policy of Phase-il of FM
radio;
(b) if so, the number of the cities brought under the new phase;
(c) the number of frequencies of ist Phase which have been activated
and the reasons, if any, for the unsustainability thereof; and
(d) whether Government have permitted the private radios to
broadcast news and other current affairs programmes?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
(SHRI 5. JAIPAL REDDY): (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of
the House
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RAJYA SABHA [8 August, 2005]
Statement
(a) and (b) The Government has notified a policy for the expansion
of FM Radio (Phase-ll) through private sector, which provides for setting
up of FM radio stations in 90 cities.
(c) A total of 22 private FM channels were operationalised in
Phase- |. One of them has been closed down since 29.4.2004. The FM
operators had cited high licencse fee as one of the reasons for
unsustainability of their operations.
(d) No, Sir.
SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: Sir, my first supplementary is
related to the statement which is being laid before this House. It is regarding
the policy for the expansion of FM Radio (Phase-I!) through the private
sector. Sir, | would like to know form the hon. Minister by opening this FM
Radio channel to the private sector whether the Government will insist on
the policy that news broadcasting shail not be allowed through the private
FM channels. Secondly, will the same company be allowed to have more
than one FM channel in the same city? Thirdly, is there any restriction on
the multinational corporation to have their shareholding in this FM station
sold to this company?
SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY: Sir, the hon. Member has asked three.
questions. First, in regard to news, our policy is not to permit news. We
have finalised the policy package. It has been okayed by the Cabinet.
We are going to notify it very shortly.
As for the multiple channels, | must say that no company can have
more then one channel in any city. So, We are not contemplating any
system under which any company can have more than one channel. We
are opposed to the policy of multiple channels for a single company.
As for MNCs, Sir, MNCs can have equity by way of FDI or Fll only
' upto 20 per cent. Therefore, all the companies will be completely Indian
companies. Indian companies will have equity upto 80 percent.
SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: Sir, | am fully satisfied with the
answer of the hon. Minister. Another supplementary that | would like to
know from the hon. Minister is that most of the FM radio stations, or this
All India Radio, which are being governed by the Government, are having
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lack of programme staff. Therefore, they are not able to function properly.
For example, Manjari FM Radio station, which is constructed by the ...
MR. CHAIRMAN: There is no need of any background.
SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: Sir, it is a very specific question.
Sir, Rs. 2.5 crore has been spent, but so far the station has not yet been
commissioned only because of the reason that they are not having
programme staff. | would like to know from the hon. Minister whether the
programme staff would be provided so as to commission this FM radio
station on which construction is already complete.
SHRI 5. JAIPAL REDDY: ] will write to the concerned Minister about
the particular station. But, Sir, | admit that in Prasar Bharati, we have a
huge problem in regard to staff inadequacy. Prasar Bharati needs not
only my support; it needs the support of the entire House. | take this
question as an expression of support.
5 % SHRI M.P. ABDUSSAMAD SAMADANI: Through you, Sir, | would
like to know two points ftom the hon. Minister. Throughout the world,
there is a growing tendency among the people to listen to radio. It is said
that the explosion of TV viewing is going to end. That signal is clear in
many parts of the world. In our own country, people are more inclined
towards radio. When compared with TV, the radio has never been a weapon
of moral decay, but with regard to TV, it is creating many negative results
among the young generation and even in our House, a discussion is
going to take place on this subject. So, Sir, | would like to know from the
hon. Minister whether the Government and the hon. Minister would take
note of the situation and utilise the situation favourably. Sir, second point
is regarding Manjari FM Radio station. | would like to have a categoricai
reply from the hon. Minister. Everything is ready in respect of Manjari
Radio station; only commissioning is to take place. People are waiting.
That is a symbol of aspirations of the people of the area.
. SHRI 5. JAIPAL REDDY: Si, | agree with the hon. Member about
the scope of a radio revolution in the country. We are planning to have as
many as 336 radio stations in the country in as many as 90 cities. We
are providing collocation facilities. Therefore, radio's future is bright. And,
| agree also with the Member that radio is getting revived all over the
world. Radio has many advantages. It is a friendly companion. | agree
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with him. It is non-invasive. It could also be culture friendly. As for Manjari,
i can only say that | will try to provide the stats.
श्रीमती सुधमा स्वराज: माननीय सभापति महोदय, मंत्री महोदय ने अपने उत्तर में कहा है--
“FM operators had cited high licence fee as one of the reasons for not
operationalising their operations.” a मैं मंत्री महोदय से यह जानना चाहूंगी कि जो
आपने 90 शहरों में और wHeure के विस्तार की नई नीति बनाई है चरण-दो की, फेज-टू की,
क्या उसमें आपने लाइसेंस फी को ही आधार रखा है या Vay शेयरिंग को आधार कर दिया है?
SHRI 3. JAIPAL REDDY: Sir, during the first phase, the entrepreneurs
did not know better nor did the Government know any better. That
experience represents a learning curve both for the Government and the
entrepreneurs. In the second phase, having learnt from the experience,
we have gone in for revenue sharing formula.
Sushmaji, as former Minister of Information and Broadcasting, should
know this and this, we think, is going to encourage the revolutionary
growth of radio in this country.
DR. CHANDAN MITRA: Sir, through you, | would like to ask fhe
hon. Minister as to what is the rationale for discriminating against FM
radio channels in the matter of news broadcasts. When every month a
new TV news channel is being started, private operators are starting TV
news channels, don’t you think by excluding news and current affairs
from the sphere of private radio, you are discriminating against radio and
in the sense helping the TV operators, while the radio operators are going
to suffer on account of this policy?
SHRI 5. JAIPAL REDDY: Sir, | am not discriminating in favour of TV
operators,-Chandanji is a leading media expert. He knows that those
companies, which are running TV channels and newspapers, are also
getiing ints radio. Therefore, there is a need to look at the monopoly trend
in the news sector. It was this concern that has withheld us from allowing
the private radio to have news channels at the moment.
*206. [The questioners Shri Motilal Vora and Shri Janardan Dwivedi
were absent. For answer vide page 40 infra.]
Irregularities in Mid-Day Meal Scheme
*207. DR. NARAYAN SINGH MANAKLAO: Will the Minister of
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
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