Prasar Bharati to sell lands

New Delhi: With the public broadcaster Prasar Bharati facing constant financial crunch and depending on the Centre for its funding, the government is understood to be thinking about selling off parts of its land inventory located in various parts of the country.

The Union Information and Broadcasting ministry has been advised to go in for “selective monetisation of idle assets and generate much needed revenue” for the Prasar Bharati.

Sources stated that the I&B Ministry is currently under the process of finalising the terms and conditions of of transfer of properties and assets. Sources stated the Prasar Bharati used to get almost 50 percent of budgetary support from the government. Over the past few years there has been a view that the public broadcaster should generate more revenues, monetise its assets and reduce its dependence on government funding by become financially independent.

This step of seeking more financial independence of the body is in keeping with the spirit of the Prasar Bharati Act, that envisions the public broadcaster as a genuinely autonomous body.