This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 529, answered on July 23, 2025, regarding Community Radio Stations (CRSs) and related matters.
**Prasar Bharati & Akashvani Staffing:** The sanctioned employee strength for Prasar Bharati is 45,791. As of the date of the response, Doordarshan has 5,545 regular employees, and Akashvani (All India Radio) has 9,648 regular employees. Prasar Bharati currently employs 1,574 individuals on a contractual basis. Human resource management within Prasar Bharati includes periodic assessment, training, and reskilling initiatives.
**Community Radio Stations (CRSs):** The government has sanctioned 540 CRSs across the country. Currently, 144 applications for CRS licenses are under examination.
**Supporting Community Radio Movement in India Scheme:** To bolster CRSs, the government launched the "Supporting Community Radio Movement in India" scheme, a Central Sector Scheme with an outlay of Rs. 50.00 Crores. This scheme is active from 2021-22 to 2025-26 and includes:
1. Financial assistance to newly established CRSs after three months of operation.
2. Support for stations operational for over five years to renew or replace equipment.
3. Training and awareness initiatives via workshops, webinars, and sammelans.
4. Stakeholder engagement through regional and national events to facilitate peer learning.
**Additional Information:** Details on approved community radio stations and budgetary allocations are available on the Ministry website: https:mib.gov.inministryourwingsbroadcatingwing.
Key Entities Referenced
Prasar Bharati: Indian public service broadcaster.
Akashvani All India Radio: A division of Prasar Bharati responsible for radio broadcasting.
Community Radio Stations: Local radio stations providing community-based content (CRSs).
L. Murugan: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting; and Parliamentary Affairs.
Doordarshan: Indian public service television broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati.
Supporting Community Radio Movement in India: A Central Sector Scheme to strengthen new and existing Community Radio Stations (CRS) in the country.
K.C. Venugopal: Member of Parliament who raised the question about CRS licenses.
202122 to 202526: The period for which the 'Supporting Community Radio Movement in India' scheme is functional.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 529
(TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025)
Applications Pending for CRS License
529. SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL
Will the Minister of Information and Broadcasting be pleased to state:
(a) the details of sanctioned and actual strength of Prasar Bharati, Akashvani (All
India Radio) along with the number of staff on contractual basis;
(b) the status of the HR transformation exercise in all these organisations and the
timeline and expected outcome of this exercise;
(c) the data on the total number of Community Radio Stations (CRSs) in various
States along with the number of applications pending for CRS license;
(d) the details of budget allocations and actual spendings of the Government on
the Community Radio Stations during the last three years, State-wise; and
(e) the details of measures adopted to expand the CRS operations in under-
represented linguistic areas?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
[DR. L MURUGAN]
(a) to (e)
The sanctioned strength of employees in Prasar Bharati is 45,791. But in recent
years, the nature of broadcasting and media operations has undergone significant
change. Accordingly, the workforce requirements have also evolved. Currently,
Doordarshan has 5,545 regular employees, and Akashvani has 9,648 regular
employees.The engagement of the workforce is carried out as per the functional requirements.
As on date, Prasar Bharati has 1,574 contractual employees. Prasar Bharati carries
out human resource management as per its requirements which includes periodic
assessment, training and reskilling.
Government has sanctioned 540 Community Radio Stations (CRS) throughout the
country. 144 applications are at different stages of examination.
To strengthen new and existing Community Radio Stations (CRS) in the country,
the Government has also launched a Central Sector Scheme namely ‘Supporting
Community Radio Movement in India’. With an outlay of Rs. 50.00 Crores, the
scheme is functional for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The main features of the scheme are as follows:
1. Financial assistance to newly established CRSs after they have been
operational for three months.
2. Stations operating for over five years receive support for renewing or
replacing old equipment.
3. Training and awareness through workshops, webinars, and sammelans.
4. Stakeholder Engagement through regional and national events to enable
peer learning among CR stakeholders.
The details of approved community radio stations, including the budgetary allocation,
as updated from time to time, are available on the Ministry website:
https://mib.gov.in/ministry/our-wings/broadcating-wing.
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