PM Modi launches 91 FM transmitters in effort to improve radio connectivity
Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated 91 new 100 Watts FM Transmitters via video conference, enhancing radio connectivity throughout the nation. These 91 transmitters have been installed in 84 districts spread over 20 states. As a result, All India Radio’s (AIR) network of transmitters has grown from 524 to 615. The addition will increase AIR’s coverage to 73.5 percent of the nation’s population.
Priority for the installation of the transmitters has been given to the country’s border regions, Aspirational Districts, and Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas. The simple availability of mobile phones with FM receivers and the clear sound quality have raised the demand for FM radio service in the nation. The government has also approved the installation of 63 additional FM transmitters around the nation, which is a significant step in the direction of meeting this demand and enhancing the organization’s capabilities.
All India Radio was congratulated by PM Modi on this historic occasion. He explained the importance of the inclusion by stating that today represents a crucial step in AIR’s growth of its FM offerings and its transition into becoming All India FM. The Prime Minister emphasised that the launch of 91 FM transmitters advances government initiatives that give priority to the underprivileged who have previously been denied access to this facility.
The Prime Minister listed the advantages of FM transmitters, including timely information dissemination, community building initiatives, weather updates relevant to agricultural practises, price information for food and vegetables for farmers, discussions of the costs associated with the use of chemicals in agriculture, pooling of advanced agricultural machinery, educating women self-help groups about new market practises and aiding the entire community during emergencies. The FM’s usefulness for infotainment was also acknowledged.