New Delhi: A string of FM radio stations has been planned by the Narendra Modi government in the bordering districts to counter the anti-India propaganda being broadcast from across the frontier.
The BJP government has decided to take on the propaganda war unleashed by India’s neighbours through radio waves.
The government has decided to strengthen its public service broadcaster, All India Radio, by establishing a string of FM stations in all bordering regions.
In all 18 stations have been planned along border with Pakistan, Nepal and militancy affected regions of Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.
Sources stated that while two FM stations have been planned for the western border, three stations have been cleared for the militancy affected Jammu and Kashmir region.
“Another eight stations will be set up in various North Eastern states five of them are expected to come up along the Nepal border,”sources added.
The powerful transmitters would be used for both domestic and external broadcast and are considered to be of immense strategic importance for the country. The channels are expected to counter the anti-India propaganda that has been unleashed against the country over the airwaves, sources added.
Inputs from the Defence and Home Ministry were also sought to set up transmitters in bordering areas in the propaganda war against the country’s enemies and extremists elements , sources added.
It is believed that the strengthening of national broadcasters will help the government to stop the misinformation campaign being unleashed by enemy states and extremist outfits.
The enhancement of infrastructure and broadcasting capability will also ensure fulfilment of responsibility of public broadcaster in dissemination of authentic information to citizens in these disturbed areas.
While the AIR bolsters its capability across the bordering and extremist affected areas of the country, another public service broadcaster, Doordarshan, has also set up at least 10 high powered transmitters along the international border and upgraded its low power transmitters in these areas over the past few years.
