Doordarshan producers to hold protest to demand release of funds

Several Doordarshan producers have decided to hold a protest on Tuesday seeking release of funds for programmes, which they claimed were selected by the broadcaster but later left in a limbo.

In a statement released here, the producers claimed that the last commissioning of fresh proposals for DD Kashmir was done more than five years ago.

Reconsideration of some proposals was done and thereafter three years ago, 104 more proposals were selected to be produced by the empanelled producers of the channel, they said. "Till date 104 proposals have been lying in limbo." They also claimed that it is almost three years since DD Urdu announced a list of 580 successful proposals for commissioning.

"At the time of announcement, it was clearly noted that in the first lot 163 proposals have been sanctioned, the rest of 417 proposals kept pending," the statement said.

But it is nearly three years since the announcement and the tally of the programmes for which funds were released still stands at 163, it added. The producers claimed that it is a similar story with channels like DD North East, DD Bharti and DD India etc.

Producers from several states have decided to protest outside Doordarshan Bhawan Mandi House on Tuesday in this regard, the statement said.