News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati revenue likely to cross Rs 10 billion in FY 2006
NEW DELHI: For the first time in its history, Prasar Bharati, running Indian pubcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR), is likely to cross the Rs 10 billion revenue mark.
“We have been doing quite well this financial year (April-March) and expect to close our books with a Rs 1,000 crore (10 billion) revenue in March 2006,” Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma told Indiantelevision.com during a wide ranging interview.
While national broadcaster DD will end up contributing a lion’s share to Prasar Bharati’s kitty, less-hyped sibling AIR, according to Sarma, is likely to clock over Rs 2 billion, having crossed the magical Rs 1 billion-mark in 2003-04.
According to Sarma, a “revitalized” Prasar Bharati, where the effort has been to “change the mindset of people,” is reaping the benefits of undertaking in-house marketing of programmes on its channels instead of outsourcing such activities.
“We realised that there were hundreds of people out there in the market trying to sell our programmes and, in the process, underselling the product in an effort to upstage competitors. So, we decided to do our own marketing and that is showing results,” Sarma said.
At present, a 10-second slot on prime time on DD National would cost Rs 65,000, while a non-prime time slot could be had for between Rs 20,000 – Rs 40,000. A prime time slot on DD news is going for Rs 5,000.
It is worth noting that in the 2004-05 fiscal, the pubcaster raked in revenues in the region of Rs 7.88 billion (DD Rs 6.53 billion and AIR Rs 1.35 billion).
Prasar Bharati is also looking at making optimal use of its existing manpower and assets, while devising strategies to tap newer sources of revenue.Other initiatives include making programmes’ on-air life span on national broadcaster DD ratings-linked.
“Such thinking has led us to undertake work for government organisations more aggressively. Revenues from government organisation-related work (that includes narrowcasting work for agriculture ministry, for instance) is likely to contribute approximately Rs 300 crore to our total income this year, signifying an upswing,” Sarma said.
Each time band of Doordarshan has a basic benchmark for TRPs, which will be utilised for monitoring the ratings and continuance of slotted programmes. The TRP of all TV homes and SEC ABC 15+ females will be monitored for this purpose. Depending on continuous analysis, benchmark for different time slots on DD National, for example, has been set.
On prime time (evenings), the benchmark ratings are between 6 and above. Similarly for mid prime time, it is between 3 and 6, while time slots that could generate ratings below three are early morning till 11 am and late night slots after 11 pm.
With a financial restructuring of Prasar Bharati — being studied by a committee headed by a senior bureaucrat from the information and broadcasting ministry — in the offing, the organisation is streamlining its activities and has come out with an annual report where profit and loss accounts as well as all assets have been properly documented.
“The restructuring will be good for the organization and the employees’ union (that had petitioned the Prime Minister earlier this year to dismantle Prasar Bharati’s existing autonomous structure) too is supporting us now,” Sarma said.
As part of the restructuring game plan, DD has also started taking ownership of programmes telecast on its network. In the past, rights of most programmes used to rest with outside producers as DD depended heavily on outsiders to give them entertainment-related fare.
According to Sarma, Prasar Bharati, which runs a subscription free DTH service, is looking at expanding aggressively overseas. Deals for the US market for four DD channels have already been signed, while negotiations are on for other markets like the UK and Middle East.
Doordarshan, the national television service of India devoted to public service broadcasting, is one of the largest terrestrial networks in the world. Its network of 1314 terrestrial transmitters covers more than 90 per cent of the country’s population.
At the time of Independence in 1947, AIR had six stations and 18 transmitters covering 11 per cent of the population. Today, through its 215 stations and 337 transmitters, it services 99 per cent of the population.
(Rs 46= 1 US$)
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.
