NEW DELHI: The Government is taking adequate steps required to recover Rs 279.64 crore owed by All India Radio and Doordarshan for usage of space segment and spectrum in the years 2011-12 and 2012-13.

However, the Government has already waived a sum of Rs 1349.54 crore that was due to various agencies till 31 March 2011 following the recommendation of the Group of Ministers on Prasar Bharati in September 2011.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told the Parliament that Prasar Bharati owes Rs 163.26 crore to the Indian Space Research Organisation for space segment and Rs 116.38 crore to the Communication and Information Technology Ministry as spectrum charges for these two years.

Of the dues, the share of All India Radio for 2011-12 and 2012-13 is Rs 36.46 crore (Rs 16.26 crore and Rs 20.2 crore respectively) while that of Doordarshan is Rs 243.18 crore (Rs 63.4 crore and Rs 179.78 crore respectively).

The Minister clarified that the Government only meets the full bill for salary of the employees of the public service broadcaster, as recommended by the GoM.

Prasar Bharati is itself expected to pay the various Central/State/Paramilitary/Police organisations the cost of safeguarding the infrastructure, installations, land, buildings etc. of AIR and DD located across the country.

It also meets the salary and allowances of police and paramilitary personnel engaged by it out of its internal resources.

The annual dues on account of dues for such services are in the region of Rs 72 crore.

The Minister said if the pubcaster is not able to make a payment in a certain year; it makes sure this is done in the next financial year.