Doordarshan on Wednesday launched a satellite channel catering to the needs of the northeastern states of India. The channel was originally scheduled to begin transmission on 23 December but the launch was pushed forward so as not to interfere with the Christmas break. It will initially run for nine-and-a-half hours daily and gradually develop into a 24-hour service.

Union minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj, who was in Guwahati, Assam, on Thursday for ceremonies marking the launch, said the channel would go a long way in curbing the cultural invasion from neighbouring countries like China, Myanmar and Bangladesh, the Asian Age reported.

Addressing a press conference, Ms Swaraj admitted that there are areas in the Northeast where people still view programmes beamed from the foreign countries, posing a serious threat to Indian culture and identity.

Swaraj reiterated that the channel should play a role of catalyst in strengthening the bonds of national integration by removing the sense of alienation prevalent among the peoples of the region.