NEW DELHI: Doordarshan will expand the capacity of its free direct-to-home television service DD Direct Plus to 250 channels by 2017.

The public broadcaster is already working on a plan to increase the number of channels it offers on DD Direct Plus to 97 from 59 channels currently.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a Rs 3,500 crore proposal from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on the 12th five year plan for All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan - Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development.
 

The scheme covers continuing schemes of the 11th Plan and new schemes of the 12th Plan that ends in March 2017. The continuing schemes of AIR and Doordarshan are at different stages of implementation and are scheduled to be completed in phases by 2015-16 by Doordarshan and by 2016-17 by AIR.

Under the new schemes, eight television terrestrial transmitters are also proposed along the Indo-Nepal border and these are targeted to cover 65 per cent of the population of Nepal.

This will ensure sustainability of DTH and increase revenue of Prasar Bharati. During the 11th Plan, 40 digital terrestrial transmitters were sanctioned and these are under implementation.

In the 12th Plan, 23 additional DTTs are proposed to be installed. Provisions have also been made for modernisation of existing equipment /facilities in studios and satellite uplinks which are essential to sustain ongoing activities and also for high definition television (HD TV) studio facilities at Chennai and Kolkata.

AIR FM expansion at 118 locations besides eight FM broadcasting set ups along the Indo-Nepal border, replacement of old FM transmitters at 77 locations and replace six MW transmitters with FM Transmitters, digitalisation of 29 studios and creation of archival facility at Guwahati are envisaged. Strengthening of training facilities, R&D and introduction of e-Governance with limited application of enterprise resource planning (ERP) are also envisaged in this scheme.