NEW DELHI: Over five months after bids were invited and three months since agencies were shortlisted, Doordarshan (DD) has cancelled the tender for the channel packaging work of DD Kashir.

DD said the tender has been cancelled ‘due to administrative reasons’ and said bidders could collect the earnest money and processing fee paid by them.

The decision is the third major decision rescinding in an ongoing exercise at DD since Smriti Irani took over as Information and Broadcasting minister. Earlier, the auctions for DD FreeDish were cancelled and the successful bidders for DD National Prime Time auctions were not allowed to air their programmes as the minister wanted to reportedly study the issue.

The three agencies finalised for the packaging work were Prime Focus Technologies, Beehive Systems, and Grasshopper Media.
DD Kashir had issued a similar tender for April but had made some changes following some feedback and changes made by DD Directorate General, particularly relating to the payment mode and sought fresh tenders with 29 June as the last date.

Details of documents can be viewed at ddindia.gov.in

DD Kashir was launched in the year 2003 to show the richness, variety and diversity of local culture to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) viewers. Prasar Bharati is making special efforts in J&K to promote and nurture talent, provide a platform to deserving producers/artists from the state as well as from outside to encourage production of better programmes for Doordarshan viewers.