NEW DELHI: With the cabinet giving the green signal on the proposal for digitalisation of transmitters and studios in the Doordarshan network during the 11th Plan, Prasar Bharati has got a plan allocation of Rs 6.20 billion to begin work on 40 digital terrestrial transmitters and other equipment.
The approval by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure covers the networking of DTT through satellite, augmentation of Digital Media centers (DMCs) by providing the following: equipment and facilities for maintaining the digital infrastructure; five sets of digital measurement equipment at zonal offices; 60 UPS at High Power Transmitters to ensure uninterrupted power supply, R&D and Training; digitalisation of 31 partially digitalised and 8 analogue studio centers; digitalisation of archiving facilities; and digitalisation of news automation system and e-governance and IT scheme.
The Cabinet is expected to shortly take up a similar proposal by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry seeking Rs 9.20 billion for All India Radio which is already digitising with the adoption of the DRM standard.
Earlier, Doordarshan had set aside an amount of Rs 12.09 billion of a total approved outlay of Rs 13.69 billion just for digitisation in the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012).
DD is expected to take the first major step when it commences beaming in High Definition for the Commonwealth Games 2010.
During a cabinet briefing later, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said: "Digitalisation would enable the people in the remotest corner of the country to receive a higher quality of AIR and DD signals."
