Bengaluru: Karnataka government is all set to start a television channel called 'Gram Swaraj TV'. The channel will be anchored by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department and started through a company called TR Media Entertainment Private Limited. An investment of Rs 10 crore will go into the basic infrastructure for the channel and a monthly expenditure of Rs 1.5 crore is expected.
Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) has approved the financial estimates calling it ‘reasonable’. The idea was first mooted in August 2016 when the department wondered if the satellite communication facility at The Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute of Rural Development (ANSSIRD) can be converted into a TV channel. ANSSIRD is currently using satellite communication technology to reach out to television sets across 176 taluks.
The Doordarshan Kendra which is under Prasar Bharathi is a Central Government undertaking and does not facilitate the State Government to utilise it full time for reaching out to the people. Also DD works under the guidelines of Central Government. Hence, this may be the main reason that the State government is mooting to launch its own channel.
