I&B Ministry
MIB’s Ajay Mittal allays media industry fears, paints positive picture
MUMBAI: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) secretary Ajay Mittal today expressed faith in the strength of Indian institutions to withstand the challenges in the Indian media sector that have arisen out of fringe elements at play.
Pointing out that MIB and the other government departments have taken several positive initiatives for the upliftment of the Indian media and entertainment sector, Mittal said, “Have faith in the strength of the Indian Constitution and various institutions to take on the challenges created by fringe groups (on creative freedom).”
His comments on informal and fringe censorship issues came about as they were raised by Star India Chairman and CEO and Ficci Entertainment & Media Committee chairman Uday Shankar in his theme address earlier. Shankar criticized the fringe elements trying to bring about parallel censorships and media curbs in a modern India and which was detrimental to realizing the dream of Digital India.
Mittal, who was delivering the Inaugural Address at the 18th edition of the Ficci-Frames 2017 here, said that while the country’s rich traditions have ample scope to provide base for varied content, it’s time for distribution and monetization of content to step in and take industry’s growth to the next level.
The Indian M&E sector’s CAGR of 14.3 per cent by 2020 would be “almost double the growth” of global trends, Mittal reeled out some figures in his address, saying that the government is fully aware of the importance of the digital media that has shown a growth of 35 per cent.
The secretary also pointed out that to further ease doing business in India, the government has created a separate category of visas for foreigners under ‘film visa’ so more films, etc could be shot in India.
Dwelling on IPR and taxation issues, two vexed matters of the media industry, Mittal said that the government’s endeavor was to work with various stakeholders so IPR could be adequately and effectively protected. “Apart from IPR, we have also held discussions with various State governments on tax matters,” he added.
As part of MIB initiatives, Mittal listed out work on digitization, radio FM, incentivizing film production, streamlining government support for print medium, amongst many other achievements, firmly adding that the government’s effort to “liberalize” media industry “cannot be denied.”
I&B Ministry
Devinder Kumar appointed Prasar Bharati chief vigilance officer
Senior IOFS officer to serve three-year term with Level-13 pay scale
MUMBAI: The Centre has appointed Devinder Kumar as the chief vigilance officer of Prasar Bharati, formalising a key oversight role within India’s public broadcasting network.
The appointment was cleared through an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Kumar, a senior Indian Ordnance Factory Service officer, will initially serve a tenure of three years or until further government orders, whichever comes earlier.
As chief vigilance officer, Kumar will be responsible for overseeing vigilance and compliance functions within Prasar Bharati, ensuring transparency and accountability across the organisation’s operations.
The role carries a Level-13 pay scale under the central government structure, translating to a salary range between Rs 1,23,100 and Rs 2,15,900. The compensation aligns the position with other senior administrative roles across government departments.
Kumar’s appointment follows due process, including a recommendation from the Central Vigilance Commission, which vets candidates for such critical oversight positions.
Currently serving under the Department of Defence Production, Kumar has been directed to be relieved of his existing duties with immediate effect to assume his new role.
The move comes as Prasar Bharati continues to strengthen its governance framework, with the CVO position playing a central role in maintaining institutional integrity. Kumar’s appointment is expected to bolster internal oversight at a time when accountability remains firmly in focus across public sector organisations.
