2 in race for top Prasar Bharti post

With the exit of Jawhar Sircar as the CEO of Prasar Bharati just a matter of time — after he sought to be relieved of the charge — the race for the top job at the public broadcaster has heated up.

It is learnt that the contenders for the top post are two bureaucrats, former Union information and broadcasting secretary Sunil Arora and additional secretary in environment ministry Shashi Shekhar (IAS).

Ending months of speculation, Mr Sircar had on Monday written to I&B minister M. Venkaiah Naidu expressing his desire to quit before his term expires next February. Mr Sircar was appointed on the post in 2012 by the UPA-2 government. It is understood that both Mr Arora and Mr Shekhar have held meetings at the top level of the I&B ministry. sources stated that a decision on the issue is likely to be taken soon. Sources stated that as per the Prasar Bharati Act the CEO is selecetd by a committee headed by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha. The Committee also includes a nominee each of the President of India and Chairman, Press Council of India, the source added. The new CEO is expected to have a gigantic task to rebuild the public broadcaster and restore its lost credibility amongst the masses.

Mr Arora is most likely to replace Mr Sircar as the CEO of the public broadcaster. Mr Arora, a Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, is considered close to the ruling dispensation and has been chosen for the task after his successful stint at the I&B ministry. Soon after his retirement, the former I&B Secretary was appointed as an advisor in public broadcaster Prasar Bharati in August. While Shashi Shekhar, IAS is an Additional Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government Of India since February 15, 2013. He has held various senior positions in the State as well as the Central governments.

The appointment at the helm of affairs at the public broadcaster is being considered very important as the Modi government is trying to give a new direction to Doordarshan and All India Radio as it attempts to make “desirebale changes” to the two broadcaster’s in terms of policies, content and personnel.