Not helping the poor financial health of Prasar Bharati, Rs 497.19 crore is outstanding against the producers of various Doordarshan Kendras and national channels for sponsored programmes and serials.
Doordarshan had Rs 330.81 crore outstanding in 2010-11 and Rs 166.38 crore in 2011-12 from producers and other agencies, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has highlighted. “In view of the poor financial health of Prasar Bharati, the outstanding dues of such huge amount is a matter of great concern to the committee,”
it noted in its report. The Standing Committee asked the public broadcaster to take measures in the right earnest to recover the outstanding dues as early as possible. However, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry has said that due to credit facility given by Doordarshan, there would always be an outstanding due — aggregating to more than Rs 200 crore, according to its estimate. In its action taken report, the Ministry has informed that the Prasar Bharati board is considering a one-time settlement scheme to encourage defaulters for settlement of their long outstanding dues.