07-10-2007, 04:59 PM
<b>Commies put premium on watching TV</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Govt mulls Rs 500/year fee on every colour TV
10 Jul 2007, 0309 hrs IST ,Himanshi Dhawan , TNN
NEW DELHI: Television viewing could soon be a more expensive affair. The government is considering imposing a recurring annual 'licence fee' of Rs 500 for each colour television set, and Rs 200 for a black & white TV, owned by consumers as a bailout measure for the cash-strapped Prasar Bharati.
Sources in the information and broadcasting ministry said imposing the licence fee on consumers is among a slew of options before the government - others include making TV manufacturers and broadcasters pay up - all or some of which could be implemented.
Part of the money raised will go into providing government pay scales and other benefits for the 38,000-odd Prasar Bharati employees. Sources said the licence fee plan alone could raise an estimated Rs 23,871 crore.
The government can, in fact, impose such a fee by invoking section 17 of the Prasar Bharati Act as recommended by the Sengupta Committee report. A final decision on the issue is expected to be taken at the Group of Ministers' meeting on Wednesday.
The GoM is also likely to consider levying a 10% licence fee on television and radio manufacturers to raise an additional sum of Rs 896 crore as recommended by the Financial Restructuring Committee in 2005. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Govt mulls Rs 500/year fee on every colour TV
10 Jul 2007, 0309 hrs IST ,Himanshi Dhawan , TNN
NEW DELHI: Television viewing could soon be a more expensive affair. The government is considering imposing a recurring annual 'licence fee' of Rs 500 for each colour television set, and Rs 200 for a black & white TV, owned by consumers as a bailout measure for the cash-strapped Prasar Bharati.
Sources in the information and broadcasting ministry said imposing the licence fee on consumers is among a slew of options before the government - others include making TV manufacturers and broadcasters pay up - all or some of which could be implemented.
Part of the money raised will go into providing government pay scales and other benefits for the 38,000-odd Prasar Bharati employees. Sources said the licence fee plan alone could raise an estimated Rs 23,871 crore.
The government can, in fact, impose such a fee by invoking section 17 of the Prasar Bharati Act as recommended by the Sengupta Committee report. A final decision on the issue is expected to be taken at the Group of Ministers' meeting on Wednesday.
The GoM is also likely to consider levying a 10% licence fee on television and radio manufacturers to raise an additional sum of Rs 896 crore as recommended by the Financial Restructuring Committee in 2005. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->