I&B Ministry
Govt grants Rs 2,500 cr for Prasar Bharati’s infrastructure improvement
Mumbai: The cabinet committee on economic affairs has approved the ministry of information and broadcasting’s proposal for the broadcasting infrastructure and network development (BIND) central sector project, providing Rs 2,539.61 crore for Prasar Bharati’s infrastructure development, including All India Radio and Doordarshan (DD).
“The BIND scheme is the vehicle for providing financial support to Prasar Bharati for expenses related to the expansion and upgradation of its broadcasting infrastructure, content development, and civil work related to the organisation,” the I&B ministry said in a statement.
The BIND scheme will allow the public broadcaster to upgrade its facilities with better infrastructure, expand its reach, including in LWE, border, and strategic areas, and provide high-quality content to viewers.
Another major priority area of the scheme is the creation of high-quality content for both domestic and international audiences, as well as ensuring the availability of diverse content to viewers through the expansion of the DTH platform’s capacity to accommodate more channels.
The project will also include the purchase of OB vans and the digital upgrade of DD and AIR Studios to make them HD-ready.
Doordarshan currently operates 36 TV channels, including 28 regional channels, and AIR operates over 500 broadcasting centres. The scheme will expand the country’s coverage of AIR FM transmitters to 66 per cent by geographical area and 80 per cent by population, up from 59 per cent and 68 per cent, respectively.
The scheme also includes the free distribution of over eight lakh DD Free Dish STBs to residents of remote, tribal, low-income, and border areas.
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
