NEW DELHI: All India Radio (AIR) has failed to sanction a single post in the last ten years despite the large number of stations set up during this period.

        AIR sources told Radioandmusic.com that a total of 62 stations had been set up in the last three years and the current year, and there was a proposal to set up stations at 225 places in the country.The audio broadcaster has proposed 278 new radio stations in the country during the 12th Plan which commenced in April this year, but the sources said that this will depend on the allocation of funds and approval of the Planning Commission.

         Meanwhile, a total of 2183 new posts have been proposed in the engineering, programme and administration wings in AIR for Operation and Maintenance of 104 new projects/stations approved under the last three Plans.This proposal was approved by the Prasar Bharati Board in its meeting on 6 September last year and sent to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on 5 October last year, but is still under process in the Ministry.

         All India Radio and Doordarshan have a total staff strength of 33,800 against a total sanctioned strength of 48,022, leaving a gap of 14222 posts. In the News Services Division/News, there are 146 vacancies in the sanctioned strength of 379 with the present strength at 255.

        Meanwhile, the annual Operational cost of running a radio station is: Metro station – Rs 260 million, State Capital Station – Rs 150 million, local FM Radio station 15 million; and relay FM stations – Rs 6 million.