Nilgiris, India: ‘Radio Kotagiri’, the first community radio station in the Nilgiris launched

For development:Supriya Sahu, Joint Secretary,

Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,

inaugurating a Community Radio Station in Kotagiri on Saturday.

-Photo: M. Sathyamoorthy

February 17, 2013, The Hindu reports, provisions have been made in the 12th plan to implement a support scheme to extend financial assistance for the setting up community radio stations (CRS), said Supriya Sahu, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, at Kotagiri on Saturday. She was launching ‘Radio Kotagiri’, the first community radio station in the Nilgiris.

Pointing out that the promotion and development of CRS is a thrust area for the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, she said that since the initial cost worked out to about Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh, it had been decided to give funds for capacity building, survey etc and also extend a helping hand for dealing with contingencies like equipment malfunction.

Describing the community radio as a powerful instrument of social change, she said that unlike the conventional radio or the television, it is, “by the people and for the people”. It can influence changes for the better among individuals and communities.

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(Source: The Hindu, India)