News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati financial rejig near completion
NEW DELHI: The Indian government is close to taking a final decision on the financial restructuring of pubcaster Prasar Bharati, which manages Doordarshan and All India Radio.
A group of ministers (GoM) set up to look into the issue has finalised its report, which now will be vetted by the information and broadcast ministry before being put up at a cabinet meeting.
A government official, while confirming that the restructuring report is complete, said, “The GoM and I&B ministry will have to finalise the format in which it will be put up before the Cabinet as the broad contours have been thrashed out.”
Though the matter is likely to go to the Cabinet after the present session of Parliament gets over in a couple of weeks’ time, the official refrained from giving a time frame for a formal announcement in this regard.
One of the options mentioned in the report, according to sources, is the government holding an equity stake in Prasar Bharati Corporation in lieu of the assets (including real estate and infrastructure), which would be transferred from government books to the Corporation.
However, the GoM has attempted to tread carefully on the issue of the sensitive status of employees of Prasar Bharati.
Almost 99 per cent of the over 45,000 employee base of Prasar Bharati is treated as part of the government and enjoy various perks as government servants.
Transferring the employees to Prasar Bharati, an autonomous body created under an Act of Parliament, will make them lose some of the privileges like low-cost housing facility.
The government official said the cabinet will have to take a final view on such matters.
Employee status has been a ticklish issue within and outside Prasar Bharati with various employees’ unions of the Corporation opposing any change in their status, least of all being categorized as private sector employees.
The workers’ unions had even petitioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last year to scrap the Prasar Bharati Act and revert DD and AIR to full government control.
A committee, headed by I&B secretary SK Arora, was appointed by the government on 30 March, 2005 with the mandate to suggest a viable capital and financial structure for the cash-strapped Prasar Bharati to facilitate the strengthening of its functioning.
The terms of reference of the panel was to propose a viable capital and financial structure for Prasar Bharati, while taking into account the broadcaster’s role as a pubcaster and the need to maximise revenue-earning potential through commercial operations.
This panel was to submit its report to a GoM that was to add its own perspective.
Though Prasar Bharati closed the last financial year ended 31 March 2006 with a record revenue mop up of Rs 12.47 billion, the gap between expenditure and income is still huge.
For FY07, Prasar Bharati has set itself a revenue target of Rs 15 billion.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
