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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO:43
ANSWERED ON:14.08.2007
FM CHANNELS FOR STUDENTS
Reddy Shri Karunakara G.
Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to have exclusive FM channels for educating students in the remote areas of the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefore ?
Answer
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI P.R.DASMUNSI)
(a) to (0) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No.43 FOR REPLY ON
14.08.07.
Government has signed an agreement with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for operationalisation of FM stations for
educational broadcast at 40 places, the details of which have been indicated in Annexure
1. Out of this, 26 are presently operational and in 3 places viz Jamnagar, Ludhiana and Bhubaneshwar, IGNOU has decided not to set
up FM stations.In addition, the Govt. has also agreed for setting up of FM stations for educational broadcasts by IGNOU at 15 more
places as per details given in Annexure Il.
The FM stations set up by IGNOU are called Gyan Vani, a "Radio Co-operative" devoted exclusively to education and community
development.These inter-active participatory educational stations are aimed at great empowerment of the people particularly the
disadvantaged sections of the Society located in the remote and distant areas of the country. The programmes include information
relevant to students of pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary, as well as enrichment programmes to build
environmental awareness, women's empowerment, legal literacy, professional education and science education.