News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati chalks plans to push revenue
NEW DELHI: There is a big gap between running expenses of India’s pubcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio and the revenue being generated by the organisation, according to information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj.
After the Indian Parliament reconvened for the Winter session on 18 November, the minister informed Parliament that the running cost of Prasar Bharati, which oversees the functioning of DD and AIR, during 2001-2002 was Rs 10508.3 million, while the revenue earned was pegged at Rs 7118.8 million.
In recent times, the Planning Commission, which plans government expenditure on a five-year basis, in a report has indicated that Prasar Bharati should seriously look at tapping various other ways of generating additional revenue. Reason: the annual grants -in- aid which it gets from the government is likely to be reduced next financial year beginning 1 April 2003.
Meanwhile, Swaraj also told Members of Parliament that Prasar Bharati has initiated a number of steps, within the mandate of public service broadcasting, to give a fillip to its revenue generation.
According to Swaraj, the strategy , inter alia, adopted by Prasar Bharati, which is an autonomous body but still functions as a quasi-governmental organisation, in this regard are as follows:
-to optimally utilise its infrastructure facilities;
-to improve its marketing mechanism;
-to make sustained efforts to obtain funds from various government departments for making in-house programmes.
In the same vein, she also informed Parliament that 71 companies owed DD Rs 1648.2 million as of 31 October, 2002. In case of AIR, the outstanding dues amounted to Rs 66.9 million.
Some critics of Prasar Bharati have pointed out that if the pubcaster made serious effort to recover the outstanding dues from the defaulting organisations, some of which are still doing business with DD and AIR, Prasar Bharati’s annual revenue would go up substantially.
Giving a break-up of the revenue earned, Swaraj told fellow MPs that during 1999-2000, DD’s revenues stood at Rs 5971.9 million, while those of AIR were Rs 808.4 million. During 2000-2001, DD’s revenue was pegged at Rs 6375.1 million (an improvement from the previous year), while AIR’s dipped to Rs 739 million. During 2001-2002, DD earned Rs 6152 million ( indicating a dip in earnings), while AIR’s revenues increased from the previous year to Rs 966.8 million.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
