37 TV channels fail to become operational: Jatua

NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has found 37 channels to have failed to become operational even after one year of permission.

The licence of five of these has been cancelled, while three had requested for extension of time against notice of cancellation. 27 TV channels had sought extension for operationalising their channels. They have been asked to submit Performance Bank Guarantee. The permission of two channels has been withdrawn at the request of the concerned company.

A total of 681 television channels are operational in the country in April this year, out of a total of 825 television channels which had been permitted by the government as on 19 January this year.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting C M Jatua said that 116 channels are within the prescribed limit of one year for operationalisation under the Uplinking/Downlinking Guidelines.

The teleports have to pay Rs 87,500 per MHz per annum to the Wireless Planning and Coordination wing of the Communications and Information Technology Ministry for uplinking TV channels.