Prasar Bharati to distribute DTH set-top boxes to Naxal-hit areas for free

Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is likely to distribute around 10 lakh free of cost direct- to-home (DTH) set-top boxes in naxal-hit areas of the country, in a bid to reach out to people in “media dark” region, an official said. According to a proposal by the public broadcaster, 5-10 lakh units of DTH set-top boxes will be given free of cost to people in areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). “Yes, we will distribute set-up boxes in naxal-hit areas,” a senior information and broadcasting ministry (I&B Ministry) said.

Recently, addressing an event in Raipur, I&B Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu had said that such an initiative would enable people in remote and tribal areas of naxal-affected states to connect with various development schemes of the government. The minister had also said that the Centre would distribute 10,000 free DTH **set-top boxes** in remote and tribal areas of Chhattisgarh. The initiative will enable people in naxalite-affected areas to watch about 100 television channels fPree of cost.

Besides a dedicated DD channel for Chhattisgarh, Naidu had also stated that a high-power transmitter would be commissioned in Jagdalpur (Bastar district headquarter) which would beam signal of AIR Jagdalpur to a radius of 200 kms.