[cr-india] Now, govt plans to make 'waves'

[Alokesh Gupta]

Now, govt plans to make 'waves'

16 Jun, 2007 l 0349 hrs ISTl
Gyan Prakash/TIMES NEWS NETWORK
PATNA: A bicycle mechanic, Raghav, recently made waves by sending
radio waves from his small shop at Mansurpur village in Vaishali
district. The "Radio Raghav" FM station was an instant hit among
people residing within 10 km radius of Mansurpur village.
Now, realising that radio is a powerful mediun to interact with the
masses at the grassroots level, the state government is seriously
planning to launch its own FM stations — community radio stations
(CRSs). The state government has already prepared a pilot project with
the help of IIM students. The technological know-how is being prepared
by students of IIT (Kanpur) and IIT (Mumbai).
To begin with, the state government has selected 10 schools of Patna
and Nalanda districts to operate these FM stations. These schools
would transmit the programmes, the contents of which would be prepared
and developed at the Soochana Bhavan. The government would help these
schools in obtaining FM frequency from the information and
broadcasting ministry. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, during his visit to IIM
(Ahmedabad) in November, 2006, had talked to some of the students
there and had asked them to prepare a blue print for community radio
stations. Nitish had said such radio stations would bridge the gap
between the state headquarters and the villages, by using
cost-effective means of information through entertainment.
State information and public relations department (IPRD) secretary
Vivek Singh, who is monitoring the creation of community radio
stations, told TOI that it would be a powerful medium to communicate
with the people. The IPRD secretary said the IIM team, comprising
management professor Rajnish Sinha and IIM (Ahmedabad) students
Kaushlendra, Abhishek, Irfan and Rahul, has worked out the financial
viability. These students have also given presentation before the
secretaries of different departments, including MM Jha (HRD), Anup
Mukherjee (rural development) and special secretary (CM secretariat)
Chanchal Kumar.
According to the plan, the schools will be stake-holders while the
principals concerned would be presidents of the school community radio
stations. Though the initial cost of setting up a transmission centre
is estimated between Rs 5-6 lakh, the IPRD secretary said, students of
IIT (Kanpur) and IIT (Mumbai) are being approached so that the
transmission cost could be reduced.
The state government is planning to set up 800-1,000 community radio
stations, having services in Bhojpuri, Magahi, Vajjika, Maithili and
Angika.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Patna/Now_govt_plans_to_make_waves/articleshow/2127302.cms