NEW DELHI: Doordarshan has recovered a sum of Rs 3.63 billion during financial year 2012-13 from producers and agencies that had been pending as arrears for several years.

Information and Broadcasting ministry sources told Indiantelevision.com that a total of Rs 18.241 billion was recoverable from producers/agencies during 2011-12 of which Rs 10.8 billion was recovered as commercial revenue.

The outstanding amount thus was Rs 7.45 billion as on 31 March last year, which included Rs 5.74 billion pending with 86 defaulting producers/agencies against whom the pubcaster had initiated arbitration/legal proceedings. The balance sum was therefore Rs 1.69 billion.
 
In addition, a sum of Rs 514 million had been received from defaulting producers and agencies as interim award during the legal/arbitration proceedings.Doordarshan did business of Rs 14.94 billion with producers and agencies during 2011-12, while Rs 3.3 billion was due for the year 2010-11.

Doordarshan has also clarified that full revenue of total business (accrued) during a financial year cannot be realized within that year because DD provides credit facility to accredited agencies for sixty to 75 days according to industry norms and Prasar Bharati policy.
 
Doordarshan charges simple interest at 14.5 per cent per annum on the component that remains outstanding after the expiry of credit period.Thus, the ministry sources said there can never be a nil balance against any agency or producer doing rolling business with Doordarshan.

There will be a possibility of rolling outstanding amount of more than Rs two billion depending upon the business accrued in that particular period.

Meanwhile, ministry sources said that Doordarshan has given up as old or dead dues amounting to Rs 496.7 million from 174 agencies or production houses as on 31 March, 2011.