Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a total of 91 FM transmitters on Friday across 18 States and 2 Union Territories in India ahead of 100th Mann ki Baat session.
The inauguration was done in a move that will boost FM radio connectivity in the border regions and aspirational districts.
With these new transmitters set up in 84 districts, the coverage will further increase by about 35,000 sq km area, benefitting an additional two crore people who did not have access to the medium so far.
"These FM transmitters will play a key role in a range of services be it timely dissemination of information, weather forecast for agriculture or connecting the women self-help groups with new markets," Modi said.
He said the tech revolution in the country helped radio emerge in a new avatar and brought new listeners to the medium. The prime minister said the government is constantly working for the democratisation of technology.
The expansion takes place two days before the landmark 100th episode of Mann ki Baat, the prime minister's monthly radio programme.
Details on the new FM transmitters
The 91 new 100 W FM transmitters have been installed in 84 districts with a special focus on enhancing coverage in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
