NEW DELHI: The total reserve price for the second batch of FM Phase III auctions which commenced on 26 October 2016 is Rs 9,159.1 million in 92 cities, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore has said.

The reserve price of the first batch of 135 channels from 69 cities was Rs 5501.8 million he said in Parliament.

The Government has collected revenue of Rs 11035.1 million from winners of 96 channels in 55 cities as a result of this auction.

The FM Phase-III Policy on Expansion of FM Radio broadcasting service through the private sector (Phase-III) notified on 25 July 2011 extends FM Radio services to 227 new cities. This is in addition to the 67 cities where complete auction could not be done in Phase-II. Thus a total of 839 new FM Radio channels in 294 cities are proposed for auction in Phase-III. The FM Radio channels under Phase-III are to be auctioned in batches.

The First batch of auction under Phase-III for 135 channels in 69 cities out of 294 as above was conducted from 27 July to 9 September 2015.