New Delhi: Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy today (Sep 14, 2004) asked various ministries and Government departments making use of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati for promotional activities "to learn to pay up too".

"The public broadcaster has a vital role to play. But there is a limit to what it can do on its own. I wish other departments of Government listen to the woes of Prasar Bharati and learn to pay up to get their progress highlighted on Doordarshan and All-India Radio," Reddy said.

He also reiterated that as part of efforts to make the public broadcaster financially and professionally independent, the Government was contemplating imposing an annual fee or a one-time licence fee on the purchase of radio and television sets.

Against an estimated expenditure of Rs 1,800 crore, revenues of Prasar Bharati are only around Rs 600 crore. Stressing that a political consensus was required for steps in this regard, he gave the example of Britain where every household was required to pay as much as 150 pounds to fund the public broadcaster BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).

However, the Minister who came to inaugurate a serial 'Jazba', which ironically is already on air also asked Prasar Bharati to aggressively market its programmes well, especially those commissioned.

Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma also said efforts should be made by the public broadcaster to market its serials well.

"But I also urge that Prasar Bharati be given the full Rs 500 crore amount promised to it in the Tenth Plan period for content purposes," he added.