Special steps being taken  by Prasar Bharati to counter 

              'anti-India' broadcasts

             Stating that 'anti-India' propaganda broadcast from across the border was being received in the country, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government has said that public broadcasters, All India Radio and Doordarshan had taken several steps to counter this propaganda.

            AIR and Doordarshan had launched a plan for expansion of their network, under which several proposals for setting up new high power and low power AIR and DD and FM transmitters in the border areas were under various stages of implementation.

           A special package for expansion of AIR and DD services in Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast has been approved, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry recently said replying to queries from Members of Parliament.

         Multi-channel AIR and TV coverage has been ensured in all parts of the country through the launch of the free-to-air DTH service 'DD Direct Plus'. It is now possible to receive signals of this service with the help of small sized receiver units, the Ministry told the MPs.

         The Government would, in fact, be investing at around Rs 100 crore this financial year along the borders to strengthen communication towers and terrestrial infrastructure.

       The Home Ministry had recently held a meeting with the authorities of Prasar Bharati and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on the issue. It is understood to have asked them to ensure that programmes, especially those broadcast by AIR and DD stations in the border areas were interesting so as to catch the attention of the people and divert their attention from the 'anti-India' programme broadcast some neighbouring countries