Prasar Bharati chief says Corporation not yet fully prepared to be genuinely autonomous

Prasar Bharati must generate more revenues, monetise its assets and "stand on its own feet" on way to achieving full autonomy and financial independence, says its new chairperson, A Surya Prakash. Looking at the Prasar Bharati Act, it is clear that the will of the Parliament is that the Corporation should function as a genuinely autonomous body - innovative, dynamic and flexible and that is what he intends to pursue.
"If you ask me - are we there? We are still not there.

There are two reasons, the bulk of our employees are central government employees. You are still to have the Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board (PBRB) in place...So bulk of our employees are central government employees and fifty percent of our budget comes from the Union government," he told PTI. Prakash said that budgetary support this year is approximately 50% of the budget of Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India).

"I am of the view that as we go along, this Corporation must generate more revenues, monetise its assets and one fine day stand on its own feet....I will say, that, if you want to get to full autonomy, you must become financially independent. It is very important," he said. Prakash said that in Prasar Bharati there are employees who have not got promotions for 20 years which is an issue that needs to be addressed.
"In the road to autonomy, we are somewhere on that road.

This Act mandates us to be always on that road, so that at some point of time we really get there. It is irrespective of who is running the Union government," he said.