GECs
Prasar Bharati’s Rs 280 crore debt to govt agencies
NEW DELHI: The empire is striking back. The Indian government today said it is taking action at the appropriate level to recover Rs 279.64 crore that is owed by All India Radio and Doordarshan to different government agencies for usage of transponders on ISRO satellites and also the spectrum during 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Prasar Bharati is itself expected to pay the various Central/State/Paramilitary/police organisations the cost of safeguarding the infrastructure, installations, land, buildings of AIR and DD, (such as the Mumbai Kendra pictured here) located across the country
However, the government has already waived a sum of Rs 1349.54 crore that was due to various agencies till 31 March 2011 following the recommendation of the group of Ministers on Prasar Bharati in September 2011.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told Parliament today that Prasar Bharati owes Rs 163.26 crore to the Indian Space Research Organisation for space segment and Rs 116.38 crore to the Communication and Information Technology Ministry as spectrum charges for these two years.
Of the dues, the share of All India Radio for 2011-12 and 2012-13 is Rs 36.46 crore (Rs 16.26 crore and Rs 20.2 crore respectively) while that of Doordarshan is Rs 243.18 crore (Rs 63.4 crore and Rs 179.78 crore respectively).
The Minister clarified that the government only meets the full bill for salary of the employees of the public service broadcaster, as recommended by the GoM.
Prasar Bharati is itself expected to pay the various Central/State/Paramilitary/police organisations the cost of safeguarding the infrastructure, installations, land, buildings of AIR and DD located across the country.
It also meets the salary and allowances of police and paramilitary personnel engaged by it out of its internal resources.
The annual dues on account of dues for such services are in the region of Rs 72 crore.
The Minister said if the pubcaster is unable to make a payment in a certain year, it makes sure this is done in the next financial year.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
