[cr-india] why distinguish CR from regular FM?

[Subramaniam Vincent]

> This would be completely reasonable if our rural areas were 
> adequately part of the same socio-economic structure as the urban 
> agglomerates. But they aren't, and lack of information is part of the 
> problem. Having a radio station will not automatically bring in 
> banks, shops, land records and honest government officers, whose jobs 
> are understood to be facilitation and not obfuscation.
> 
> They aren't quite thick on the ground now, unfortunately, and 
> expecting truly representational bodies to be already registered 
> under the Charities Act (is that Charitable Organisations Act?) is 
> wishful, I am afraid. 

Vickram, I acknowledge there are several answers to the 'legal entity' 
question, and hopefully this will get throughput at the consultations
next 
week. But I suspect you are misreading my remarks. Are you saying that 
even the legitimate amongst the current crop of NGOs in the rural 
areas are 'not representative' enough to apply for licenses on behalf 
& with the communities they work for? An NGO is already a Trust or a 
Society or a Coop or a Sec 25 non-profit.

We cannot on the one hand argue for an interim policy 'that needs to get

the bus going' and also say that that the policy must at once be broad 
enough to deliver licenses to the weakest organized of groups that 
are not already in associations of some sort. Plenty of rural India is 
covered by SHGs, rural trade/farmers/water-users associations, NGOs, et 
al. Perhaps the policy should look to applicants from here first and 
then look at other situations where no organizing exists at all. 

-Subbu