NEW DELHIi: All India Radio FM expansion has been planned at 118 places besides eight FM broadcasting set ups along the Indo-Nepal border, besides replacement of old FM transmitters at 77 locations and six MW transmitters by FM Transmitters.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry regarding the 12th Plan scheme of All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan "Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development" at a cost of Rs.3500 crore.

The scheme covers continuing schemes of the 11th Plan and new schemes of the 12th Plan. The continuing schemes of AIR and Doordarshan are at different stages of implementation and are scheduled to be completed in phases by 2015-16 by Doordarshan and 2016-17 by AIR.

In the allocations for AIR, digitisation of 29 studios and creation of archival facility at Guwahati are envisaged, apart from strengthening of training facilities, R&D and introduction of e-Governance with limited application of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) are also envisaged in this scheme.

The capacity of Doordarshan’s Direct-to-home platform DD Direct Plus, slated to be raised to 97 from the current 59 channels, is to be increased to 250 during the 12th Plan.

Under the new schemes, eight Television Terrestrial Transmitters are proposed along the Indo-Nepal border and these are targeted to cover 65 per cent of the population of Nepal.

This will ensure sustainability of DTH and increase revenue of Prasar Bharati. During the 11th Plan, 40 Digital Terrestrial Transmitters (DTT) were sanctioned and these are under implementation.

In the 12th Plan, 23 additional DTTs are proposed to be installed. Provisions have also been kept for modernisation of existing equipment /facilities in studios and satellite uplinks which are essential to sustain ongoing activities and also for High Definition Television (HDTV) studio facilities at Chennai and Kolkata.