By IANS
New Delhi : Ahead of a crucial meeting to bail out cash-strapped public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, the government Thursday denied media reports about plans to impose an annual licence fee on TV sets.
"No such proposal was under consideration," Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters here.
The proposal to levy charges on TV and radio manufacturers and charge an annual recurring fee from owners of TV sets are part of the agenda paper prepared for the Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, which will meet here Friday.
The proposal has elicited strong criticism from manufacturers and consumers alike.
Prasar Bharati has submitted a slew of proposals to the GoM to enhance its resources, as the public broadcaster, with nearly 38,000 employees, is heavily dependent on grants from the government.
Prasar Bharati has also made a strong pitch for more grants from the government to increase its programmes on subjects like education, health and environment.