Govt dodges queries on Prasar Bharati payments

The Union information and broadcasting ministry on Thursday sidestepped Parliament questions specifically asking for details of the payment being made by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati to Hindusthan Samachar and ANI for their news feed.

Responding to a starred question from CPM MP John Brittas in the Rajya Sabha, the ministry said Hindusthan Samachar was one of the news agencies providing news feed to Prasar Bharati, adding that it had been giving these services to All India Radio and Doordarshan even before the broadcasting company was set up in 1997 by an act of Parliament.

To a specific question seeking details of the agreement, “including payment thereof, from the inception of the arrangement on yearly basis”, the ministry replied: “Prasar Bharati initially signed the agreement with M/s Hindusthan Samachar on 30.01.2020 for two national and four regional languages.