National & Public Broadcaster under financial stress. Prasar Bharati has posted a revenue of Rs 4.66 billion for the six-month period ended September, while expenditure stands at Rs 12.05 billion.

       Prasar Bharati chief executive officer B S Lalli, however, expects the revenue to see a jump over the previous fiscal.

     "The figure appears low because several parties which owe money to the pubcaster generally clear their dues only by the end of March. In fact, the Directorates of both Doordarshan and All India Radio had been asked to work towards crossing the revenue figures of last fiscal," Lalli tells Indiantelevision.com.

        Prasar Bharati had posted a revenue of Rs 11.76 billion for the fiscal ended March 2010 while expenditure stood at Rs 29.49 billion.

     The Prasar Bharati's revenue in 2008-09 was Rs 10.97 billion while expenditure touched Rs 25.19 billion. In 2007-08, the expenditure was Rs 20.58 billion as against the revenue of Rs 10.36 billion.

       GOM  for Prasar Bharati, meet held on 16-04-2010 has decided to cap the Center's annual financial support to Prasar Bharati at 50 per cent of its operating expenses. They had decided that It will be for Prasar Bharati to fend for itself and raise the balance 50 per cent of operating expenses through internal and extra budgetary resources over the next five years. It is evident that Prasar Bharati is not able to generate 50% of its operating expense in the last four financial years .In this scenario how and from where the remaining money (Gap Between Expenditure & Income) will be raised?.

      The public broadcaster would now have to tap the capital market and other financial institutions for generating funds (funds for the Gap Between Expenditure & Income) ,since it may not be possible by All India Radio and Doordarshan to generate the 50% of the operating expenses while maintaining the programming quality and dignity of the National & Public Service Broadcaster of a democratic country.

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