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Govt denies cartelisation in Prasar Bharati, 724 complaints against MIB in ’16
NEW DELHI: Even as corruption complaints against government departments rose by a whopping 67 per cent in 2016 over the previous year, the Government has denied any case of cartelisation in the tendering process of Prasar Bharati including All India Radio and Doordarshan.
DD recently floated tenders for DD Kashir and Arun Prabha, apart from tenders for Indian Conditional Access system for its DTH platform FreeDish.
Corruption complaints rose by 67 per cent, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has stated in its annual report tabled in the Parliament recently. The CVC noted that a total of 724 complaints were registered against the information and broadcasting ministry in 2016.
The information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu, however, told the Parliament that Prasar Bharati, including Doordarshan, is adopting a fair and transparent system for the tendering process.
Naidu added that Prasar Bharati had informed the MIB that it was following the rules and procedures based on the Government guidelines including General Financial Rules (GFR) and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) guidelines.
Doordarshan had floated a tender for selecting an agency for channel packaging work for DD Kashir. The last date of submission of bids is 19 April 2017 afternoon. The tenders for technical bids will be opened on 20 April in the afternoon.
DD Kashir programmes are beamed from Srinagar. An official of DD also denied reports that DD Urdu programmes were being used in DD Kashir.
Earlier this month, Doordarshan invited applications for an agency to undertake the channel packaging work for its new northeast channel, DD Arunprabha. The last bid date is 1 May 2017.
Arunprabha would would showcase richness, variety and diversity of local culture and would seamlessly integrate North East with the entire country.
Also, five companies including two from Delhi were earlier shortlisted as original equipment manufacturers for set-top boxes for Doordarshan’s FreeDish on the Indian Conditional Addressable System (iCAS). The manufacturers are: Modern Communications and Broadcast Systems of Gandhinagar in Gujarat; Velankani Electronics of Bangalore; BGM Holding of Ghaziabad; and KMTS Engineering and Millennium Technology, both from Delhi. The technology of iCAS has been designed by ByDesign of Bangalore.
Also Read:
DD Arunprabha: Bids invited for channel packaging
DD Kashir packaging agency tenders floated
FreeDish iCAS STB: Modern Comm, Velankani, BGM, KMTS & Millennium OEMs shortlisted
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
