Mumbai: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT has asked the information and broadcasting ministry to review all assets of Doordarshan and All India Radio (Akashvani) and start generating revenue from them in a time-bound manner through leasing, redevelopment and public-private partnership use, officials said.
In its report on FY27 demands for grants, the panel also sought regular updates on progress, including revenue generated and projects undertaken, within defined timelines.
The committee noted that Prasar Bharati, which operates DD and Akashvani, has approved a draft monetisation plan to unlock value from surplus assets, including leasing vacant space and redeveloping around 70 land parcels estimated at about ₹100 crore. A dedicated team is assessing these opportunities.
It flagged the absence of a comprehensive study of assets under Doordarshan kendras. The ministry said the draft plan includes a feasibility study covering both Akashvani and Doordarshan land assets.
Under the plan, Prasar Bharati will monetise land through a PPP model without divestment, using proceeds to improve financial sustainability. All land and building assets have been mapped and geo-tagged, with about 9 lakh sq ft vacated under 'Swachhata Abhiyan' over the last three years, according to the report.
The committee also noted that Prasar Bharati has signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government to jointly develop a Film City on Akashvani land in Mumbai. It called for timely completion of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies campus at Film City, Goregaon, and stressed linking talent development with commercial viability under the AVGC skilling programme.
The panel acknowledged the ministry's efforts to retain Doordarshan as a family-friendly platform amid concerns over declining content standards in the broader media ecosystem.
It asked the ministry to prepare a road map for implementing and reviewing the Content Sourcing Policy, 2024, alongside content enrichment, technology upgrades and expansion of the WAVES OTT platform, particularly in tier 2 and 3 cities and rural areas.
It also sought safeguards to ensure affordability under the proposed pay-per-view framework while keeping archival content free. The PPP framework was approved in October 2025 by Prasar Bharati, which functions under the I&B ministry, to improve content quality on WAVES OTT while providing monetisation opportunities to content creators.
The committee recommended a time-bound rollout of AVGC content creation labs in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges, linked to public broadcasting platforms to support young creators.
On human resources, the panel flagged a sharp staff shortage at Prasar Bharati. Of a sanctioned strength of 45,791, as many as 30,598 posts are vacant, including 14,117 in Doordarshan and 16,481 in All India Radio. Vacancies have risen from 30,221 in FY26, increasing reliance on contractual hiring under the 2021 policy.
The ministry said an HR transformation exercise is underway, in consultation with a manpower audit agency, alongside a review of service closures and outsourcing. Phase-2 of the plan has been approved, and the committee has sought a time-bound roadmap along with outcome details.
In its report on FY27 demands for grants, the panel also sought regular updates on progress, including revenue generated and projects undertaken, within defined timelines.
The committee noted that Prasar Bharati, which operates DD and Akashvani, has approved a draft monetisation plan to unlock value from surplus assets, including leasing vacant space and redeveloping around 70 land parcels estimated at about ₹100 crore. A dedicated team is assessing these opportunities.
It flagged the absence of a comprehensive study of assets under Doordarshan kendras. The ministry said the draft plan includes a feasibility study covering both Akashvani and Doordarshan land assets.
Under the plan, Prasar Bharati will monetise land through a PPP model without divestment, using proceeds to improve financial sustainability. All land and building assets have been mapped and geo-tagged, with about 9 lakh sq ft vacated under 'Swachhata Abhiyan' over the last three years, according to the report.
Seeks leasing vacant space, PPP route to unlock value from surplus land assets
The committee also noted that Prasar Bharati has signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government to jointly develop a Film City on Akashvani land in Mumbai. It called for timely completion of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies campus at Film City, Goregaon, and stressed linking talent development with commercial viability under the AVGC skilling programme.
The panel acknowledged the ministry's efforts to retain Doordarshan as a family-friendly platform amid concerns over declining content standards in the broader media ecosystem.
It asked the ministry to prepare a road map for implementing and reviewing the Content Sourcing Policy, 2024, alongside content enrichment, technology upgrades and expansion of the WAVES OTT platform, particularly in tier 2 and 3 cities and rural areas.
It also sought safeguards to ensure affordability under the proposed pay-per-view framework while keeping archival content free. The PPP framework was approved in October 2025 by Prasar Bharati, which functions under the I&B ministry, to improve content quality on WAVES OTT while providing monetisation opportunities to content creators.
The committee recommended a time-bound rollout of AVGC content creation labs in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges, linked to public broadcasting platforms to support young creators.
On human resources, the panel flagged a sharp staff shortage at Prasar Bharati. Of a sanctioned strength of 45,791, as many as 30,598 posts are vacant, including 14,117 in Doordarshan and 16,481 in All India Radio. Vacancies have risen from 30,221 in FY26, increasing reliance on contractual hiring under the 2021 policy.
The ministry said an HR transformation exercise is underway, in consultation with a manpower audit agency, alongside a review of service closures and outsourcing. Phase-2 of the plan has been approved, and the committee has sought a time-bound roadmap along with outcome details.
