Doordarshan wasted Rs 38.5 crore between May 2012 and April 2019 by hiring a transponder which was never used to air the channels the state broadcaster Prasar Bharati intended to, according to the Comptroller General of India’s audit report.

Doordarshan’s example was just one of the many cases of wasteful spending by autonomous institutes mentioned in the report released last week.

On page 45, the report states that Doordarshan had hired a new transponder on lease at the cost of Rs 5.5 crore per annum for telecasting free to air channels and upgraded its infrastructure facilities.

“However, even after lapse of more than six years after hiring the transponder and three years after upgradation, it could not utilise these facilities as no channel was being aired through this transponder,” it noted.

The report noted that DD could not utilise the additional transponder resulting in blockage of spectrum which could have been allocated to some other user and generated revenue. “After the upgradation, the capacity of the existing five transponders was enhanced to 80 channels and the remaining 17 channels were to be telecast through the sixth transponder, which had the capacity of telecasting 24 channels.”

Detailing the channel’s plan, the report observed that DD had started its direct to home, or DTH service, DD Free Dish, in December 2004. “Initially, the service was started with a bouquet of 39 TV channels and 12 radio channels. Nineteen DD channels and 20 private channels were placed on DTH platform free of cost on first come-first-serve basis. By 2011, DD was airing 59 channels. Prasar Bharati, with an aim to enhance the capacity of DTH platform from existing 59 channels to 97 channels, sanctioned (October 2010) Rs 75.43 crore to Doordarshan under the Eleventh Plan Scheme-DTH of DD. Accordingly, DD was required to upgrade its DTH platform by procuring equipment , obtain licence from wireless planning and coordination, and hire a new sixth transponder from M/s Antrix Corporation Limited1 (ACL) in addition to its existing five transponders.”

The report said that DD then approached ACL for a transponder in August 2010, which was allocated in May 2012.

“An Additional transponder which was to be allotted in 2013-14 by Department of Space was provided before time in 2012 and was accepted by Prasar Bharati without assessing the impact of early allocation of transponder which may result in change in planning and execution,” it said. “Even after lapse of more than six years after hiring of the transponder and more than three years of the upgradation of infrastructural facilities, not a single channel was being telecasted through this sixth transponder. Therefore, the expenditure of Rs 38.5 crore incurred on payment of lease charges for the unutilised transponder was rendered unfruitful.”

The report also said that DD could not anticipate non availability of MPEG-4 compliant DTH STBs in the market as no survey was conducted at the planning stage by DD. “DD acquired an additional transponder even though it did not have any plan in place to utilise its capabilities and incurred a recurring liability. Moreover, it converted one transponder from MPEG-4 to MPEG-2 so that channels could be viewed through MPEG-2 compliant STBs, which defeated the purpose of acquiring an additional transponder.”

This report was published with AI assistance.

General elections are around the corner, and Newslaundry and The News Minute have ambitious plans together. Choose an election project you would like to support and power our journalism. Click here.