With a clear focus on Commonwealth Games 2010, the government has increased the Budget outlay for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) by 27 per cent. A total of Rs 2,568 crore has been granted to the ministry for the financial year 2009-10 over the Rs 2,025 crore mentioned in the revised estimates for 2008-09.

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While Rs 155 crore has been allocated for the Commonwealth Games-related programming, the government has also increased the grants-in-aid to public broadcaster Prasar Bharati by 29 per cent to Rs 1,635 crore for 2009-10 compared with Rs 1,270 crore for 2008-09.

The I&B ministry has also increased the loan to Prasar Bharati by 36 per cent. For 2009-10, the ministry will offer a loan of Rs 356 crore, up from Rs 262 crore in 2008-09.

The Plan allocation for the ministry is Rs 800 crore, which includes Rs 519 crore for the broadcasting sector, Rs 66 crore for the information sector, and Rs 60 crore for the film sector.

Provision has been made for Publicity for Special Events, Museum of Moving Images, Global Film School, setting up National Centre for Excellence in Animation, Gaming & Special Effects, programmes on various issues covering national integration, communal harmony and other themes of national and social importance.

The government has also made a provision of Rs 100 crore for setting up high-power TV and FM transmitters in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East and low-power FM transmitters in uncovered areas of J&K.

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