NEW DELHI: All India Radio is resorting to greater FMisation, sale of archival releases, renting of auditoria, enhancement of commercial revenue etc. to halt the decline in the Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources (IEBR) of Prasar Bharati since 2014-15.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Information Technology which goes into issues relating to Information and Broadcasting appreciated steps being taken to reverse this declining trend.

The Committee recommended that Prasar Bharati should continue to explore avenues to augment revenue generation so that the public broadcaster achieves self-sustenance gradually and becomes less dependent on government support.

Other steps include engaging the services of professional marketing teams and providing incentives to achievers that exceed revenue targets. At the same time, efforts were made by Prasar Bharati to generate additional revenue by AIR and DD during 2015-16.

The Committee noted that during 2015-16, the I and B Ministry had spent Rs 2827.75 crore under the Non-Plan fund to meet salary and salary related expenses. Separately, Prasar Bharati allocates Rs 200 crore annually from its IEBR for Content Development Scheme as per the 12th Plan Scheme.

The Committee has been informed that Prasar Bharati spent Rs 295.60 crore in 2012-13, Rs 352.57 crore in 2013-14, Rs 465.34 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 531.78 crore in 2015-16 from IEBR on Content Development and Dissemination. In Budget Estimates 2016-17, Rs 548.54 crore has been allocated out of IEBR for expenditure on Content Development and Dissemination.