NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati is going to spend Rs 15.28 billion in its first phase of digitisation for Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) that is set for completion in 2013.

Doordarshan has been earmarked a budget of Rs 6.2 billion while AIR gets Rs 9.08 billion for the first phase. A fresh dose of funding would be required for complete digitisation of the two outfits, but government sources couldn‘t confirm the entire requirement.
 
For the first phase, DD will digitise 40 transmitters. It will also complete full digitisation of 39 studios in 31 states and Union territories.

All India Radio has undertaken replacement and digitalisation of 70 MW transmitters, 34 old FM transmitters, setting up of 130 new digital compatible FM Transmitters, nine short wave transmitters and 98 studio centres in 34 states and Union territories. 
 
Though the government is yet to take a final view on the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) recommendation that 31 December 2013 should be the sunset hour for analogue transmission, it has reiterated that it expects to complete digitisation in Doordarshan and All India Radio by 2017.