New Delhi, Dec 04: No time-frame can be indicated for uniform implementation of conditional access system, Lok Sabha was informed today. "The government had initially decided to implement CAS in four metropolitan cities Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai wef July 15. It was later decided to implement it wef September one in zone-wise manner in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata while Chennai was taken up in one go," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply.
"Subsequently, the notification regarding implementation of CAS in Delhi was withdrawn. A number of cases have also been filed in various law courts regarding implementation of CAS. Therefore, no time-frame can be indicated for its uniform implementation," he said.
Replying to another question, Prasad said the matter of setting up a broadcasting regulatory authority was being considered by the ministry.
On whether government was planning to make FM radio broadcast licence free, he said the government was yet to take a decision on the recommendations of the radio broadcast committee.
Bureau Report