All India Radio has proposed Rs 3 billion under a new scheme for adequate coverage in border areas in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-eastern part of the country.

This is in addition to the continuing scheme under which Rs 1 billion has been proposed and the two schemes together will take care of the requirements of J and K and the North East in the 12th Plan.

However, Information & Broadcasting Ministry sources told Radioandmusic.com that the approved outlay for the 12th Plan is yet to be received.

AIR has stations in 71 tribal areas out of the total 275 radio stations in 34 states and union territories, as on 31 March this year. However, 18 of them are giving below optimal performance because of either shortage of staff (7) and ageing transmitters (11).

The sources admitted that in all, 24 radio stations all over the country were giving below optimal performance because of shortage of staff and 51 stations had problems of ageing transmitters (38 FM transmitters, 6 Short Wave and 7 Medium Wave). Sanction had been received for replacing a majority of these in the 12th Plan.