Government all set to clip Prasar Bharti's wings

New Delhi, Jun 28: The government is all set to clip the wings of Prasar Bharti by curbing its financial autonomy. Sources claim that the Information and Broadcasting ministry is intending to amend the Prasar Bharti Act after the scams cropped up involving Prasar Bharati CEO BS Lalli and Doordarshan director-general Aruna Sharma.

Both officials were under the scanner involving the telecast rights of the Commonwealth Games that is alleged to have been given to a British firm. Lalli is currently being probed by the CBI, while Sharma's prosecution is still on hold.

The Prasar Bharti was made an independent body under the tenure of S Jaipal Reddy, who was the then I&B minister in the United Front government in 1997. Whereas the All India Radio and Doordarshan which is a full Central government organisation have never broached the idea of autonomy.

Sources within the I&B Ministry claims that there has not been any sort of audit within the Prasar Bahrti for years and added, “We are not worried so much about the programming. It is least important. What is of greater concern is that the government funds the Prasar Bharati and there has to be accountability for it."

OneIndia News