NEW DELHI: A section of the government today ruled out dismantling of the autonomous Prasar Bharati as has been demanded by the organisation's employees' union.
 
 

Though information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy today refused to comment on the demand of the union, but sources in the ministry indicated that such ludicrous demands would not be entertained.
 
 

"There would be no rollback of Prasar Bharati," a senior official of the I&B ministry said, adding that some of the demands of the employees' union are being looked into.

Prasar Bharati, which manages Doordarshan and All India Radio, was formally given shape by Reddy only when he was the I&B minister in the United Front government in the late 1990s.

Employees of Prasar Bharati had demanded an immediate repeal of the Prasar Bharati Act as it was "totally unviable" in the present form and exhorted the government to take them back into government fold (with privileges that come attached with a government service, of course).

Members of the National Federation of Akashvani and Doordarshan Employees (NFADE) met the Prime Minister on 13 August with its demands. Later, the union claimed that assurances of setting up a group of ministers (GoM) were given by the PM.

According to NFADE chairman Robin Dasgupta, the government could not disown the employees of Prasar Bharati.

He also suggested that Prasar Bharati should be made into a constitutional body like the Supreme Court and Election Commission as it would ensure financial support to the body from the Consolidated Fund of India.