I&B Ministry
Twelve applicants/channels denied permission to launch private satellite channels in last number, total remains at 869
New Delhi, 8 April: Even though the number of permissions granted to private satellite television channels uplinking from or downlinking into India crossed the 1000 figure for the first time, as many as 138 have been denied permission.
Thus, the total number of operative channels as on 31 March was 869, of which news and current affairs channels number 394. Thus the number of general entertainment channels is 475.
Thus, the government had given permission to a total of 1007 channels which included 126 whose permissions were cancelled later. The last list issued on 31 March had said 126 had been refused permission but twelve new channels had been permitted, taking the total to 869. This number remains the same.
Twenty channels including seven news channels have been permitted to uplink from India but not downlink within the country.
A total of 754 channels including 382 GECs are allowed to uplink and downlink in the country while 95 including 80 GECs are uplinked from overseas but allowed to downlink into TV homes in the country.
Thus, the number allowed to uplink and downlink in the country has fallen by one even though the number of general entertainment channels has risen by eight. This is because the number of news channels has fallen by eight to 372.
After 31 January, the news channels cleared are: Zee Bihar Jharkhand; WIO; and Zee 24 Hour Business.
The Non-News channels cleared are Sab Bangla; Sab Tamil; Sab Punjabi; Sab Marathi; Sab Telugu; Sony Wah; Sony Rox; Jewel Alliance; Star Utsav Movies (Earlier:Star Gold Romance); Maa HD; Jalsha Movies HD; Star Jalsha HD; Maa Movies HD; Star Pravah HD; Star Movies Premiere; Star Movies Premiere HD; Fox Crime HD; Rishtey Cineplex; Stay Raw; And Vijay Super.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry site (mib.nic.in) also contains the full details of the owners of these channels, the languages in which they will beam, and the date on which the clearance came. However, there are no details of channels denied permission.
I&B Ministry
Government sets up AI governance group to steer policy
AIGEG to align ministries, assess jobs impact, guide AI deployment.
MUMBAI: If artificial intelligence is the engine, the government is now building the dashboard and making sure everyone reads from the same screen. The Centre has constituted a new inter-ministerial body to coordinate India’s approach to AI, formalising a key recommendation from its governance framework and the Economic Survey. The AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will act as the central platform to align AI-related policy across ministries, regulators and departments, an attempt to bring coherence to what has so far been a fragmented and fast-evolving landscape.
The group will be chaired by union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, with minister of state Jitin Prasada as vice chairperson. Its composition reflects both technological and economic priorities, bringing together the principal scientific adviser, the chief economic adviser, and the CEO of NITI Aayog, alongside key secretaries from telecommunications, economic affairs and science and technology. A representative from the National Security Council Secretariat is also part of the group, while the MeitY secretary will serve as member convenor.
At its core, AIGEG is designed to do two things: coordinate and anticipate. On the policy front, it will review existing regulatory mechanisms, issue guidance across sectors and ensure companies remain compliant with evolving legal frameworks. Beyond that, it will oversee national initiatives on AI governance, with a focus on enabling responsible innovation rather than merely regulating it.
The economic dimension is equally central. The group has been tasked with assessing how AI-driven automation could reshape jobs identifying which roles are most at risk, where those impacts may be geographically concentrated, and whether technology will augment or replace human labour. Based on these assessments, it will develop mitigation strategies and transition plans, signalling a more proactive stance on workforce disruption.
In parallel, AIGEG will work with industry stakeholders to chart a long-term roadmap for AI adoption, categorising use cases into “deploy”, “pilot” or “defer” buckets depending on readiness factors such as data availability, skill levels and regulatory clarity. The aim is to move from broad ambition to structured execution deciding not just what can be built, but what should be built now.
The group will function as the apex layer in India’s AI governance architecture, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee that will track global developments, emerging risks and regulatory priorities. Together, the two bodies are expected to shape both the pace and direction of AI adoption in the country.
In a landscape where technology often outruns policy, the creation of AIGEG signals an attempt to close that gap ensuring that India’s AI journey is not just rapid, but also coordinated, accountable and economically grounded.
