New Delhi : The information and broadcasting ministry issued the notice inviting applications (NIA) for 266 FM radio channels in 92 cities with a deadline of 1st August. The much-anticipated move is expected to bring radio services to small towns and cities including strategically important areas like border towns of Jammu & Kashmir and North-east. The auction process is part of the government’s initiative towards expansion of FM Radio Channels to smaller towns across the country.
Totally 69 new cities were taken up for auction in the second batch, in which, 20 cities with 111 channels have a population of 3-10 lakh and 38 cities with 117 channels cater to a population of 1-3 lakh. About 11 cities in border areas of J&K and north east with population up to one lakh with 33 channels have also been included.
The notice comprises eligibility criteria, application procedures, reserve prices of channels, frequencies available for selection, auction rules, etc and is aimed at inviting applications from the interested companies for participation in the forthcoming auction, an official statement said.
Hyderabad is the only metro city that is part of the auction with one frequency up for sale while in the category of tier II cities Asansol (West Bengal) and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh will see auction of two frequencies each.
In category C cities with population of 3-10 lakh cities like Akola, Bellary, Bhavnagar, Mysuru, Kurnool, Muzafarnagar, Puducherry, Vellore, Salem, Saharanpur and Tirupati are included among others.
In category D towns with population of 1-3 lakh Godhra, Itarsi, Itanagar, Mandsaur, Rewa, Neemuch, Shivpuri, Warda and Yavatmal are included. In J&K strategic towns including Kargil, Leh, Kathua, Pooch and Bhaderwah are part of the phase III auction. The north east towns included in this phase are Dhubhri and Haflong in Assam, Jowai in Meghalaya, Lung-Lei in Mizoram, Mokukchung in Nagaland and Belonia in Tripura.
The government is also planning to offer special incentives to successful bidders for cities in J&K and North Eastern states. “By this, the FM Phase III policy exudes the government’s thrust for concerted development of the North Eastern states and J&K.
It provides much needed support to the FM radio broadcasting services in cities of North Eastern part of India as in the cities of Jammu & Kashmir and Island territories, with provision of annual fee of the channels in these areas at half the rates for first three years, besides provision of Prasar Bharati infrastructure at half the lease rentals,” an official statement said.
