Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa has urged the Centre to review the matter on the issuance of digital addressable system (DAS) licence to state-run Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV). The chief minister alleged the previous UPA government did not issue the licence "only to facilitate particular private business interests, as other licences were issued at the same time".
In a letter to Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, Jayalalithaa said, "I would be grateful if you could kindly have this matter reviewed at the earliest and arrange to issue the DAS licence to the TACTV without any further loss of time so that the people of Tamil Nadu, particularly the poor and the middle-class continue to avail of inexpensive and quality cable TV services." She said TACTV, popular as Arasu Cable, was the single largest multi system operator (MSO) in India.
According to the provisions of the Cable TV Network (Regulations) Act, 1995, and rules, thereof, a person or an association of individuals or a company registered under the Companies Act, is entitled to get the DAS licence, and TACTV is fully qualified under the Act to be issued the licence, she added.
Arasu is currently offering 30-70 channels at Rs 150-250 a month to its subscribers across 31 districts in the state.
