News Broadcasting
Irregularities persist in DD: CAG to I&B ministry
NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said that despite repeated pointing out, lapses have continued in India’s pubcaster Doordarshan for the past six years, which has resulted into net financial losses to the tune of Rs 930 million.
“As audit is conducted on a test check basis of which only more serious irregularities are reported, the net financial effect for DD could be much higher,” the CAG’s Vijayendra N Kaul has written in a letter to information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
The CAG letter, a copy of which is available with indiantelevision.com, points out that the financial losses have resulted due to sponsors being allotted extra free commercial time (FCT), non-recovery of dues from advertising agencies by various regional DD centers and non-adherence to the minimum guarantee terms in some cases.
As many as 16 programmes where DD gave undue benefit of Rs 490 million to sponsors were highlighted in the audit reports of 1997 to 2003. “In some cases, FCT rates were fixed without reference to the rate card, while in others excess FCT was allowed for odd-duration programmes by not calculating FCT from the rate card at a pro rata basis,” the letter informs the I&B minister.
Contacted by indiantelevision.com, KS Sarma, CEO of Prasar Bharati, which oversees the functioning of DD, said he was not aware of the CAG letter to I&B ministry and so would not be able to offer any comments.
Some of the programmes that benefited from arbitrary fixation of sponsorship fee and FCT , as pointed out by CAG’s latest missive to the I&B ministry, include Good Morning India (from April to September, 1996), Ankhon Dekhi, Dopahar Ankhon Dekhi, Captain House, election-related programmes during January-March period in 1998 and Param Vir Chakra.
For instance, in Good Morning India’s case, concessional sponsorship fee at 50 per cent of the prescribed fee was allowed, while 600 seconds of FCT was allowed in place of the prescribed 300 seconds.
Even the country’s No. 1 news channel , Aaj Tak, in its older avatar as a news and current affairs programme on DD is a beneficiary of inappropriate application of rate card for programmes during odd-duration, CAG has reiterated. Loss to DD: Rs. 53.79 million.
Further, the CAG letter, dated 22 March, 2004, has stated that DD’s regional centers like Lucknow, Chennai, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and Mumbai had been pointed out for comments during audit reports of 1998 to 2002 where the financial loss due to non-recovery of dues is to the tune of Rs 170 million.
Thiruvananthapuram center of DD leads the pack in non-recovery of dues (Rs 57.7 million) followed by Kolkata (Rs 35 million) and Mumbai (Rs 32.9 million). The CAG has said that it had been pointed out that DD centers were not exercising penal provisions — demanding penal interests, cancellation of accreditation of ad agencies — against defaulters.
Non-adherence of minimum guarantee terms resulted in loss of Rs 270 million during audit reports of 1998 to 2002. Some of the programmes and events that benefited from DD’s lapse, CAG has said, include Superhit Muqabla (Sept 1995 to Oct 1996) and sports events like cricket and tennis.
It may be pointed out here by indiantelevision.com that some of the cases referred to by CAG as resulting in losses to DD are contentious ones where the private company concerned has contested DD’s claims leading to legal proceedings.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
