A 20kW FM transmitter of All India Radio located at Gharinda close to the international border at Attari in Amritsar was formally inaugurated by Shri Vijay Sampla Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the august presence of Dr. A Suryaprakash Chairman Prasar Bharati today. The transmitter which will be used for both domestic and external broadcast is of immense strategic importance. Programmes radiated from the transmitter would reach up to 50 kms inside Pakistan.Interacting with the press after formally inaugurating the Transmitter, Sh Sampla said that the new tower would help in countering the malicious propaganda from across the border but in a sober way. He said its strategic location would provide opportunities for countering of any misleading anti-India propaganda and put India’s point of view in the correct perspective. He said it will be able to send across our message of peace, humanity and brotherhood as given by the Gurus and saints.The Minister said that the Des Punjab channel available on 103.6 MHZ would broadcast programmes related to cultural heritage, entertainment and news. It will be a bridge of amity between the neighbouring countries. Member Parliament, Amritsar Sh Gurjit Singh Aujla, Punjab BJP Chief Sh Shawait Malik, former Health Minister Punjab, Smt Laxmi Kanta Chawla also graced the occasion.@ Amritsar transmitter will ensure good quality radio signal for
local population as well as the listeners from across the border. To begin with, the transmitter will carry an assortment of programmes broadcast in Punjabi by FM Rainbow Channel of AIR Jalandhar, Des Punjab and Saraiki Programmes besides popular programmes of Urdu service of External Services Division, AIR. Des Punjab programme and the programmes in Saraiki which are presently broadcast on Medium Wave are immensely popular in Pakistan as these are specially devised to focus on the commonality of Punjabi cultureand heritage between the two halves of Punjab. The new FM transmitter will thus help in better listening of these programmes. The programme content to be broadcast from this set-up has been
designed specially keeping in view the heritage, culture and tastes of people living in the target area of the transmitter. Initially the transmitter shall carry programmes for 18 hours per day from 6.00 AM to 12.00 midnight. The composition of the programmes will be as under:
(a) Programmes of Urdu service of ESD (5.55 AM to 7.00 AM)
(b) Programmes of FM Rainbow channel of AIR Jalandhar (7.00
AM to 10.00 AM)
(c) Programmes of Urdu service of ESD (10.00 AM to 2.00 PM)
(d) Programmes of FM Rainbow channel of AIR Jalandhar (2.00
PM to 3.00 PM)
(e) Programmes of Urdu service of ESD (3.00 PM to 6.00 PM)
(f) Programmes of Des Punjab/Saraiki (6.00 PM to 8.00 PM)
(g) Programmes of Urdu service of ESD (8.00 PM to 12.00
midnight)
Lauding the efforts of All India Radio for making efforts to reach out to the remotest, unconnected and strategically important parts of the country Dr. A Suryaprakash said that All India Radio has made special arrangements for feeding the composite programmes from the studios of AIR Jalandhar by using ISDN facilities and Satellite link. Technical staff entrusted with the operation of 20 kW FM set-up has already been positioned at Gharinda, Amritsar. Built at a cost of Rs. 5.4Crores this new FM set-up would not only serve the demand of local population but would also provide FM coverage across the border.Director General of All India Radio, Sh. F. Sheheryar and Shri C.B.S. Maurya Engineer in Chief, ADG E Sh OK Sharma, Sh Rishi Kapur Deputy Director En AIR Jalandhar , Sh RK Jarangal DDG En DDK Jalandhar, Programme Head AIOR JalandharSmt Santosh Rishi and other senior engineering and Programme Officers were also present on the occasion.