This policy document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's efforts to strengthen grassroots communication through community radio and Doordarshan (DD) since 2019. As of August 20, 2025, 264 Community Radio Stations have been commissioned across India, with financial assistance provided to 26 existing stations since the 2020-21 financial year for upgrades. In the Doordarshan sector, 6 new channels have been established and 17 existing channels have been upgraded since 2019.
An impact assessment of Community Radio Stations, conducted in 2017 and published on August 23, 2018, highlighted their role in fostering community engagement, promoting local culture, and disseminating information in rural and remote areas. The report, titled "Study on Listenership, Reach and Effectiveness of Community Radio Stations in India" is available at https:mib.gov.inministryourwingsbroadcatingwing. A separate impact assessment on Doordarshan Kendras, specifically regarding a publicity campaign in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas of Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh (Feb 2019), indicated that 73.5% of listeners were aware of jingles/spots broadcast from Akashvani Raigarh, with a weekly reach of 67 listeners.
The government is also expanding rural media outreach through multiple platforms. DD Free Dish, a Free-to-Air Direct-To-Home service, has grown from 104 channels in 2019 to 510 channels, including 92 private channels, 50 Doordarshan channels, and 320 educational channels. 48 Akashvani radio channels are available on the DTH platform. In 2024, Prasar Bharati launched WAVES, an OTT platform integrating Doordarshan and AIR network channels, to further enhance accessibility to information, education, culture, and news, particularly in rural and remote regions.
Key Entities Referenced
Community Radio Stations: A network of local radio stations aimed at community engagement and dissemination of information, particularly in rural areas. 264 stations have been commissioned since 2019, with financial assistance provided to 26 stations.
Doordarshan Kendras: Television broadcasting centers. 6 new channels have been established and 17 existing channels have been upgraded since 2019.
L. Murugan: The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs who provided the answer to the parliamentary question.
Study on Listenership, Reach and Effectiveness of Community Radio Stations in India: A report published on 23.08.2018, evaluating the impact of Community Radio Stations. It highlights their role in fostering community engagement, promoting local culture, and disseminating information.
Raigarh District of Chhattisgarh: A district in the state of Chhattisgarh where an impact assessment study on the publicity campaign for Doordarshan Kendras was conducted in Feb 2019.
Akashvani Raigarh: A radio station in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, whose jinglesspots were assessed for listener reach.
DD Free Dish: A FreetoAir DirectToHome service with a significant increase in channels from 104 in 2019 to 510 at present, including Doordarshan channels, private channels and educational channels.
Prasar Bharati: An Indian public service broadcaster that launched the OTT platform WAVES in 2024.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4457
(TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025)
UPGRADATION OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS AND DOORDARSHAN
KENDRAS
4457. SHRI JASHUBHAI BHILUBHAI RATHVA:
DR. VINOD KUMAR BIND:
SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI:
Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Community Radio Stations and Doordarshan Kendras which have been
established or upgraded after 2019 to strengthen grassroots communication;
(b) whether any impact assessment has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of
Government messaging through rural media channels; and
(c) if so, the details of findings and the follow-up actions thereon?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN)
(a) to (c): Since 2019, a total of 264 Community Radio Stations have been commissioned across
India till date. To further strengthen and upgrade the existing Community Radio Stations,
financial assistance has been provided to 26 stations from the financial year 2020-21 to till
date.
6 Doordarshan channels have been established and 17 existing Doordarshan channels have
been upgraded after 2019.The Government carried out an impact assessment of Community Radio Stations in the year
2017 and the report titled “Study on Listenership, Reach and Effectiveness of Community
Radio Stations in India” was published on 23.08.2018.
As per report, the Community Radio has played prominent role in fostering community
engagement, promoting local culture, and disseminating information in rural and remote areas.
Link for the report: https:// https://mib.gov.in/ministry/our-wings/broadcating-wing.
For Doordarshan Kendras, an impact assessment study on the publicity campaign was
conducted in the LWE affected areas at Raigarh District of Chhattisgarh in Feb 2019.
Awareness about jingles/spots broadcast from Akashvani Raigarh was recorded with 73.5 %
listeners. Weekly reach to jingles/spots from Akasvani Raigarh was found at 67% listeners.
Government is continuously expanding and diversifying its rural media outreach to through
multiple platforms:
• DD Free Dish (Free-to-Air Direct-To-Home) service has grown significantly — from
104 channels in 2019 to 510 channels at present.
• This includes 92 private channels, 50 Doordarshan channels, and 320 educational
channels.
• 48 Akashvani radio channels, including FM Gold, Rainbow, and Vividh Bharati, are
available on the DTH platform.
• In 2024, Prasar Bharati launched the OTT platform “WAVES”, a multi-genre digital
streaming aggregator that integrates Doordarshan and AIR network channels.
These platforms are playing a key role in making information, education, culture, and news
easily accessible to all. They are particularly impactful in rural and remote regions,
including through educational programming and private channels.
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