Revamped Prasar Bharati Board to expedite CW Games' proposals

            The revamped Prasar Bharati Board Wednesday met for the first time and unanimously decided to expedite all the proposals relating to the upcoming Commonwealth Games in a professional manner.

             The 12-member board, which was reconstituted in February this year, with veteran journalist Mrinal Pande taking over as Prasar Bharati's chairperson and film maker Muzaffar Ali and media personality Suman Dubey joining as its new part-time members, sent out a strong message to the officials to pull up their socks regarding their preparation for the mega event, sources said.

             Prasar Bharati is the host broadcaster of the CWG and had last year formed an internal committee to supervise all the proposals relating to it, known as Host Broadcast Management Committee (HBMC).

          Official sources said the board also decided to hold a review meeting on 23rd April of the functioning of HBMC when it will expedite all pending proposals relating to the Games in a professional manner. Mrinal  Pande, presiding over her first meeting of the board as chairperson, called for a systematic functioning of the public broadcaster, sources said.

        The underlying message holds significance as 2009 had witnessed repeated spats between Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli and the Board. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni had recently expressed hope that the inclusion of new members in the Board would lead to smooth functioning of  Prasar Bharati.

          Wednesday's meeting was held almost three months after the Board had met last on 16th January this year. As per rules, the Prasar Bharati Board has to meet six times in a year.

          Mrinal Pande has succeeded Arun Bhatnagar as Prasar Bharati chairperson after he had resigned last year. Two part-time members R N Bisaria and actress Mamata Shankar had left after the expiry of their tenure earlier this year.  Apart from Ali and Dubey, noted filmmaker Shyam Benegal has been nominated as a part-time member of the Board.

        However, Benegal is yet to join as his nomination is currently being scrutinised by a Parliamentary panel on Office Of Profit since he is already a Rajya Sabha member and sources said, technically, as of now, he is not a part of the Board.