ITV

Category: I&B Ministry

  • Nick gets govt nod for Rs 940 crore foreign investment; INX proposal for Jhakaas rejected

    Nick gets govt nod for Rs 940 crore foreign investment; INX proposal for Jhakaas rejected

     
    NEW DELHI: The Government has approved a proposal by Nickelodeon Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd. (Nick Asia), a company incorporated in Singapore, to acquire 50 per cent equity interest in Prism TV Private Limited, a company incorporated in India.Involving foreign direct investment of Rs 940.5 crore, the acquisition is from Shinano Retail Private Limited, one of Prism’s shareholders.
     
    Following the clearance by the Foreign Investments Promotion Board (FIPB), approval has been given to Eros International Media Limited for making downstream investment by way of acquisition of shares of an Indian company for non-cash consideration, that is, by issuance of shares of the applicant company to the existing shareholders of the investee company. This does not involve any foreign investment.
     
    Meanwhile, permission has been denied to INX Music having 70.85 per cent indirect foreign investment to undertake the additional activity of broadcasting of a non-news and current affairs channels in various Indian languages.
     
    The proposal was that the 9X Jhakaas Marathi Channel shall be merged into INX Music Pvt Ltd.
    The Finance Ministry has deferred a decision on proposals by two multi system operators. Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited has sought approval for increasing foreign investment limit for FIIs, FPIs, etc. under the Portfolio Investment Scheme from 49 per cent of its issued and fully paid up share capital to 74 per cent.
     
    Den Networks had also sought approval for increase in foreign investment limit beyond 49 per cent and up to 74 per cent by FIIs, NRIs, FPIs, and other eligible foreign investors through route of Secondary Market/Open Market purchase. 
     
  • MIB urges MSOs not to be misled by fraud agents for registration

    MIB urges MSOs not to be misled by fraud agents for registration

    NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has once again asked applicant multi-system operators (MSOs) not to be misled by individuals making false claims of helping to get the MSO licences in lieu of illegal gratification.

     
    The Ministry, which has earlier alerted MSOs and TV broadcasters several times in this regard, had last posted a similar notice on its website on 5 August last year.

     
    However, it has come to the notice of the I&B Ministry that ‘certain individuals are approaching MSO applicants with false claims of providing MSO registrations and demanding illegal gratifications/bribe to get the work done.’

     
    The Ministry reiterated that it had adopted a very transparent way of dealing with issuance of MSO registrations. In order to maintain transparency in processing of MSO registration applications, the Ministry organizes monthly Open House Meeting on the 20th of every month in the chamber of Deputy Secretary (Digitization).

    A notice in this regard had also been put on the website on 9 April this year. 
     

    This mechanism enables the applicants to know the status of their applications, provide/submit documents as required by the MIB as also to represent their grievances to the Ministry.
     

    For any doubt or enquiry about status of their applications, the applicant MSOs may participate in the Open House Meeting by sending an e-mail at sectionofficerdas@email.com with a copy at das.miK@gmail.com by the 10th of every month.

  • ‘Make in India’ initiative ups FDI equity inflows to 48% in a year

    ‘Make in India’ initiative ups FDI equity inflows to 48% in a year

    MUMBAI: The growth in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been significant after the launch of ‘Make in India’ initiative in September 2014. The country has seen 48 per cent increase in FDI equity inflows during October 2014 to April 2015 over the corresponding period last year.

     

    In 2014-15, the country witnessed unprecedented growth of 717 per cent to $40.92 billion of investment by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs). The FDI inflow under the approval route saw a growth of 87 per cent during 2014-15 with inflow of $2.22 billion despite more sectors having been liberalized during this period and with more than 90 per cent of FDI being on automatic route. These indicators showcase remarkable pace of approval being accorded by the government and confidence of investors in the resurgent India. 

    The increased inflow of FDI in India, especially in a climate of contracting worldwide investments, indicates the faith that overseas investors have imposed in the country’s economy and the reforms initiated by the Government towards ease of doing business. The Make in India initiatives of the Government and its outreach to all investors have made a positive investment climate for India which is evidenced in the results for the last financial year especially the second half. 

    The FDI inflow during the financial year 2014-15 was spread across the sectors evidencing the fact of positive eco-system of investment opportunities, which India is now providing- Services Sector, Telecommunication, Trading, Automobile Industry, Computer Software & Hardware, Drugs & Pharmaceuticals  and Construction activities. 

    The FDI policy was amended to further enable a positive investment climate and sync it with the vision and focus areas of the present Government such as affordable housing, smart cities, financial inclusion and reforms in railway infrastructure. The Construction Development sector was allowed easy exit norms with rationalized area restrictions and due emphasis on affordable housing. The FDI cap in insurance and pension sector has been raised to 49 per cent. 

     

    100 per cent FDI has been allowed in railway infrastructure, excluding operations and also in the medical devices sector. 

     

    Further the definition of NRI was expanded to include Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders as well as Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders. NRIs investment under Schedule 4 of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA), Regulations will be deemed to be domestic investment made by residents, thereby giving flexibility to NRIs to invest in India.

  • FM phase III agreement formats with I&B and WPC released

    FM phase III agreement formats with I&B and WPC released

    NEW DELHI: Aiming to expedite the process for FM Radio Phase III, the Government has released the format of the Grant of Permission Agreement (GOPA) for FM Radio in Phase III and the agreement format for those migrating from Phase II.

     

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry also placed on its website mib.nic.in the format of the undertaking to be given to the WPC Wing of the Telecom Ministry for frequency assignment.

     

    This undertaking makes it clear that the spectrum given to the FM operator will be provisional and will be surrendered in the event of the operator getting fresh spectrum after a permanent licence is issued through auction.

     

    The permission will be valid for a period of 15 years from the effective date and there will be no extension. The permission, unless cancelled or revoked earlier, will automatically lapse and expire at the end of 15 years. Additionally, the permission holder will thereafter have no rights to continue to operate the channel after the expiry date.

     

    The effective date of the permission period shall be reckoned from 1 April, 2015. The permission will be for free to air broadcasts on main carrier and data on sub-carriers.

     

    The agreement mentions that the permission holder shall not be competent to grant a sub–permission directly or indirectly. However, the permission holder may resort to outsourcing of content production as well as leasing of content development equipment as long as it does not impact the permission holder’s right as FM broadcaster and enjoys complete control over the channel. The permission holder will be fully responsible for any violations or omissions of the stipulated provisions with regard to the content.

    As per the agreement, the permission holder may hire or lease broadcasting equipments on long-term basis as long as it does not impact permission holder’s right as FM Radio broadcaster and enjoys complete control over the channel. However, the permission holder will be fully responsible for any violation of the stipulated technical parameters.

     

    The permission holder will not enter into any borrowing or lending arrangement with other permission holders or entities except recognised financial institutions and its related entities, which may restrict its management or creative discretion to procure or broadcast content or its marketing rights.

     

    It will be the responsibility of the permission holder to ensure that there is no linkage between a party from whom a programme is outsourced and an advertising agency.

     

    The holder will also have to ensure that no content, messages, advertisement or communication, transmitted in its broadcast channel is objectionable, obscene, unauthorised or inconsistent with the laws of India.

     

    The Government will have the right to temporarily suspend permission of the permission holder in public interest or for national security for such period or periods as it may direct. The company shall immediately comply with any directives issued in this regard failing which the permission issued shall be revoked and the company disqualified to hold any such permission in future for a period of five years.

     

    The total direct and indirect foreign investment including portfolio and foreign direct investments into the company has been capped at 26 per cent.

     

    In the event of the government announcing a new cross-media policy, the permission holder will have to conform to this within six months.

     

    The permission holder will follow the same programme and advertisement codes as followed by All India Radio (AIR) or any other applicable code, which the Central Government may prescribe from time to time.

     

    Additionally, the permission holder will be permitted to carry the news bulletins of AIR in the exact same format on such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed with Prasar Bharati. No other news and current affairs programs have been permitted under the Phase III policy.

     

    The broadcast pertaining to the categories to be treated as non-news and current affairs broadcast and therefore permissible include information pertaining to sporting events, excluding live coverage. However live commentaries of sporting events of local nature may be permissible. Other coverage includes information pertaining to traffic and weather; coverage of cultural events, festivals; coverage of topics pertaining to examinations, results, admissions, career counseling; availability of employment opportunities; public announcements pertaining to civic amenities like electricity, water supply, natural calamities, health alerts etc. as provided by the local administration; and such other categories not permitted at present, that may subsequently be specifically permitted by the government.

  • Slew of e-Governance tools for aqua and other farmers launched by Govt

    Slew of e-Governance tools for aqua and other farmers launched by Govt

    NEW DELHI: With the government keen to take advantage of the renewed interest in digital technology with the marking of a ‘Digital Week’, several e-Governance initiatives were launched on 9 July to benefit farmers and fishermen.

     

    Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the programmes had been developed by Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).

     

    Two of these programmes – Shrimp Price Information over SMS by a missed call, and mKRISHI – Mobile App for aquaculture operations – have been developed for mobile phones, providing digitally enabled services on demand to the aqua farmers in the country.

     

    Two additional e-Governance initiatives were launched aimed at providing single window solution to exporters and other stakeholders through two new websites – Online MPEDA Registration portal for Exporters, and MPEDA Portal – www.mpeda.gov.in.

     

    The Minister also held an online conference with farmers from Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh relating to SMS service and the mobile app.  She talked to farmers from Valsaad, Gujarat regarding jhinga farms. Farmers expressed happiness at the launch of these e-Governance initiatives and expressed the view that these initiatives will help them with readily available information. 

     

    MPEDA is providing price related market information of Vannamei shrimp and BT shrimp to farmers over SMS on a missed call to a predetermined number. On receipt of the missed call, information on price of Vannamei shrimp and BT shrimp for different grades in major markets like Japan, USA and EU are provided by SMS.

     

    Farmers can dial +918590100800 for getting price information on Vannamei shrimp and call at +918590200800 for getting price information on BT shrimp. The prices (indicative C&F price in Indian Rupee) are obtained from INFOFISH (an Inter governmental organization of FAO) published data.

     

    The price information to farmers will provide them the current market trends enabling them to make an informed decision on harvest of their produce. The service is provided free of cost to farmers.  The information can be obtained by farmers all over India. MPEDA hopes that this information power about shrimp prices will empower the farmers to get better price realization.

     

    The mKrishi is a pilot project presently operated in Gujarat and will be extended all over India in 3 months.  Aquaculture of shrimp is a complex set of activities wherein huge amount of data is to be captured, analyzed and decisions are to be taken on a dynamic basis.  Currently farmers are keeping the records in manual form on a sheet of paper which may not provide them with on growth and trend of the aquaculture operations.

     

    This app will provide an easy tool for book keeping, advisory services and weather information.  It is an Android mobile application which has been developed by MPEDA and TCS Innovation Lab, Mumbai (as part of its CSR initiative).

     

    Farmers will require an android mobile handset (post 2013 models) with a data/GPRS connection (2G, 3G or WiFi).  The farmer has to enter the basic information regarding his farming activities, after which he gets expert guidance for all operations making his operations both economical and profitable.  The reports can be seen in the graphical format. An option to view the trends or reports in the computer is also provided to give seamless data entry and visualization.

     

    The mobile app is expected to revolutionalize the way the farm activities are carried out.  The app being used in a large scale can provide the trend of aquaculture activities across the country.  It will also help in resolving the farmer’s issues quickly on a more personalized approach.

     

    Registration of an exporter with MPEDA is a mandatory requirement under MPEDA Act, 1972.  Presently the registration process is being done manually.  The exporters are required to submit a physical application in the prescribed format along with certain mandatory documents.

     

    In the new system developed by NIC, exporters are expected to fill in their application form online with their log in ID also pay the fee online for which a payment gateway has been used. The mandatory documents are to be scanned and uploaded online by the applicant which will be verified by the registering authority. After due process the Certificate of registration will be generated.

     

    The stakeholders, mainly the exporters, will be benefitted by reduction of processes, time delay, transparency, status updation.  The objective of the new system is to facilitate ease of doing business and thereby provide the enabling environment for exporters to export more seafood from India. 

     

    In order to provide extensive information in public domain on various aspects of marine products sector, MPEDA has revamped its website into a portal and renamed the existing URL www.mpeda.com as www.mpeda.gov.in 

     

    The website has both static and dynamic pages on MPEDA, Exports, Production of Capture Fisheries, Culture Fisheries, Ornamental Fish, Services for Exporter, Farmer, Fishermen etc, Trade and Quality Control.

     

    Marine products of India are going to get a fillip in the international markets with the exhaustive information about it in the new website.  It will provide links to all important sites on fish & fishery products and export & marketing.

  • Arun Jaitley to meet PM to discuss Sun TV issues

    Arun Jaitley to meet PM to discuss Sun TV issues

    MUMBAI: India’s Finance and Information & Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 July, 2015 to discuss the security clearance issue for Kalanithi Maran owned Sun TV’s 33 television channels and FM radio stations.

     

    The issue has assumed urgency given that the entire auction process of FM phase III has been held up with the I&B Ministry not convening a meeting of the application review committee. All the other 28 companies, barring those affiliated to Maran’s Sun TV Network, that had applied for the auction and migration from phase II to phase III, have been granted security clearance. 

     

    According to an Indian Express report, what has also stumped the I&B Ministry is the Union Home Ministry’s stance with respect to the print publications of the Sun TV Group.

     

    In response to the I&B Ministry’s query regarding the fate of the newspapers and magazines from the Sun stable such as Dinakaran, Kumudham and Murasoli, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said print publications “do not fall under the ambit of national security clearance.”

     

    At a recent meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office, the Law Secretary is said to have pointed out that such a move would go against the spirit of Article 19 (1) of the Constitution on freedom of speech. This was subsequently reiterated in an opinion obtained from the Attorney General’s office. But the PMO had opined in the meeting then that once security clearance has been denied, there was no need perhaps to seek even the AG’s opinion.

     

    In his letter to Singh dated 1 April following the denial of security clearance on 30 March to Sun TV’s FM radio channels, Jaitley had said this was likely to be challenged in the court. “Such a situation will result in unnecessary embarrassment besides eliminating a large group from the FM channels. In view of the above mentioned position, it is felt necessary to request your indulgence for reconsidering the decision,” the letter stated.

  • 191 MSOs get 10 year licences under DAS for specified areas, 7 allowed to cover more areas

    191 MSOs get 10 year licences under DAS for specified areas, 7 allowed to cover more areas

    NEW DELHI: Pursuant to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) urging the Home Ministry to expedite security clearances if digital addressable system (DAS) deadline for phase III has to be achieved, the past 10 weeks have seen a quantum jump in the number of multi-system operators (MSOs) getting 10 year registration: from 169 as on 10 April to 191 as of 22 June 2015.

     

    While there have been licences given, there are a few who have lost their licences. These include – SR Cable of Bangalore ceasing activity, and the Sun-owned Kal Cables of Chennai and Digicable Network India of Mumbai being refused security clearance.

     

    Some others have had their areas modified. These include one in Maharashtra (JPR Channel of Mumbai to cover pan India), Madhya Pradesh (CAN Digital of Indore to also cover Bhopal and Indore), Barak Communication of Assam (to cover more areas in the state), Delhi Distribution Company (to cover Pan India), Technobile Systems of Haryana (to cover more areas in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Haryana and Rajasthan) and Sea TV Network of Agra, and Novabase Digital Entertainment of Delhi that have got revised licences.

     

    Most of these MSOs had been given provisional permission earlier.

  • MIB warns MSOs, LCOs against removing mandatory channels

    MIB warns MSOs, LCOs against removing mandatory channels

    NEW DELHI: The Government today warned all multi-system operators (MSO) and local cable operators (LCO) of action if they failed to carry the mandatory channels of Doordarshan, Rajya Sabha TV and Lok Sabha TV.

     

    Noting that it had been found that many MSOs and LCOs were not carrying mandatory channels notified by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) under different notifications, a note posted on the Ministry’s website said this was a violation of Section 8 of the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995.

     

    Non-carriage of mandatory channels was liable to attract Section Il, Section 12 and Section 8 of the Cable Act.

     

    Any violation of Section 8 of the Cable Act shall invite such action as provided in the Cable TV Act and the Rules framed thereunder as well as the terms and conditions stipulated in the MSO permission, as the case may be.

     

    DD alleges DD Bharati taken off by Tata Sky

     

    Meanwhile in a separate note, Doordarshan said that its cultural channel DD Bharati had been taken off by DTH operator Tata Sky from 13 June till date without any official information. “This accounts to a serious violation from Tata Sky’s end,” the note said.

     

    Prasar Bharati had already moved the Ministry in this regard, and requested it to initiate action against the DTH operator.

     

    DD Bharati and some other Doordarshan channels including DD UP, DD MP, DD Bihar & DD Rajasthan are not being carried by Tata Sky on its network, which amounts to violation of the Government rules, DD said.

     

    Doordarshan reiterated that it is obligatory for every DTH operator to carry all Doordarshan channels, irrespective of any bouquet(s) or a-la-carte channel(s) being subscribed by subscribers. The DTH operators have to place the channels in the respective genre and display them in full television screen.

     

     

    The notification of 5 and 6 September, 2013 and 25 May, 2015 had specified a list of channels that are to be mandatorily carried by DTH operators, MSOs and cable operators on their cable TV networks.

     

    In areas where cable TV digitization has been completed, it is obligatory for the cable operators to carry 23 channels of Doordarshan including Kisan Channel, besides Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha channels. 

     

    In other areas, the cable operators are required to carry eight channels of Doordarshan, in addition to Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha channels.

  • Parliamentary Committee okays MIB’s Rs 350 cr. proposal for govt campaigns

    Parliamentary Committee okays MIB’s Rs 350 cr. proposal for govt campaigns

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s (MIB) proposal to seek a revised cost estimate for additional requirement of funds to the tune of Rs 350 crore for the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) has found favour with a Parliamentary Standing Committee.

     

    The Committee agreed with the Ministry’s apprehension that if adequate funds are not made available under the scheme, the multimedia campaign of flagship programmes of the Government such as Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, Jan Dhan Yojana, etc. will get adversely affected.

     

    The Committee said sustained campaign for people’s participation in the flagship programmes of the Government should not suffer due to want of funds.

     

    It therefore wanted the Ministry to pursue with the Finance Ministry for adequate allocation under the scheme.

     

    The MIB informed the Committee that the proposal had already been mooted and is in process.

     

    The Committee noted with satisfaction that out of an allocation of Rs 160.20 crore, the Ministry had been able to spend Rs 147.01 crore (91.76 per cent) during 2014-15. “There has been a cent percent achievement of physical targets under Scheme of DAVP during 2014-15,” the Committee said.

     

    The Committee was given to understand that due to total exhaustion of funds allocated for the entire 12th Plan period, the left over amount of Rs 23 crore from the original approved fund of Rs 470 crore had been allocated for the schemes of DAVP during 2015-16.

  • MIB safeguards itself, asks applicant MSOs to sign affidavit

    MIB safeguards itself, asks applicant MSOs to sign affidavit

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) continues to delay security clearances to multi-system operators (MSO), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) today asked applicants to file their applications in an affidavit. The affidavit wants MSOs to commit that they have no criminal cases pending against them, and that they will shut down if they are refused security clearance.

     

    The MIB has also asked applicant MSOs to commit that in the event of any closure due to security clearance refusal by the Home Ministry, the applicants will not have any claim whatsoever against the Government for any investment that they made pursuant to the provisional registration.

     

    The note also bars those MSOs – or their parent companies – that have been barred provisional registration earlier.

     

    It is learnt that around 700 applications by MSOs are either pending with the MIB or the Home Ministry for permanent license under digital addressable system (DAS).

     

    A source from the ministry told Indiantelevision.com that the commitment had always been a part of the agreement between MSOs and the government, but it had now been decided to take it in the form of an affidavit, which would give it greater legal sanctity.

     

    However, sources from the MSO fraternity were of the opinion that the aim of the new affidavit appeared to be to prevent MSOs from filing cases in courts of law on being denied permanent registration. One major example was Kal Cables where the Madras High Court had asked the MIB last year to explain why registration was being denied.

     

    At the outset, the Ministry notes that, “A large number of applications for grant of MSO registrations have been received in the Ministry. All complete applications have been sent to Ministry of Home Affairs for security clearance, as security clearance is mandatory as per rule11C of the Cable TV Networks Rules, 1994 for grant of MSO registration.”

     

    However, the Ministry says that as per rule 11E of the Cable TV Networks Rules 1994, there is a provision to issue provisional registration on preliminary scrutiny of application provided such provisional registration shall not confer any right to the applicant to claim regular registration; and the provisional registration will stand cancelled where regular registration is refused.

     

    Furthermore, the note says those applicants will not be considered for provisional registration whose applications are incomplete, who do not furnish the affidavit and their willingness to obtain provisional registration, who have been denied security clearance earlier, and whose parent and/or subsidiary company(s) has/have been denied security clearance earlier.