New Delhi, Mar 3: The Congress on Saturday posed several questions to Information and
Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, reacting to reports that her ministry has
allegedly blocked the funds for paying the salaries of employees of Doordarshan
and All India radio.
In a series of tweets, AICC media in-charge
Randeep Surjewala said, 'Unbridled, Unchecked and Uncontrolled whims and anger
of I and B Minister Smriti Irani is making DD/AIR employees suffer.'
Mr Surjewala questioned as to why she chose a Private firm over DD for coverage of IFFI, Goa. He also questioned payment of Rs 2.92 crore by Prasar Bharti to the said company.
He also asked as to why the Minister insisted upon filling two editorial posts with journalists whose salary is higher then what Prasar Bharti can afford. He also questioned whether one of the two journalists is her unofficial media advisor.
The AICC media in-charge questioned the Minister over transfer of 140 Group A IIS officers (out of a cadre of 500) in two months. 'Is this a punishment tool?,' he said.
Mr Surjewala also questioned the transfer of IIS Asso. President, Anindya Sengupta.
Questioning the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter, he asked,' Why is PM Modi mum?'
Reports appearing in a section of the media claimed that Ms Irani had not released any money to Prasar Bharati since December 2017, forcing the public broadcaster to depend on its contingency funds to pay the salaries of Doordarshan and All India Radio employees.
The reports appearing in the media said there have been differences between the I and B Ministry and Prasar Bharati over payments to a private firm that covered the 2017 International Film Festival of India.
As per reports, Doordarshan refused to pay Rs 2.92 crore to Mumbai-based SOL Productions Pvt Ltd, which arranged for live coverage of the festival.
In a clarification issued on Friday, the ministry described the report as “defamatory and sinister”
'it has come to the notice of the ministry that a deliberate, sinister, motivated campaign has been launched by some elements to wrongfully tarnish the image of the ministry of I and B by reporting that money to Prasar Bharati is not being released after December, 2017 as a retaliation for Prasar Bharati not obeying certain dictates of the ministry.
The misinformation is based on ill-will and incorrect appreciation with half-baked facts and is tantamount to causing loss of reputation of the government in public eyes,'the Ministry said in a statement issued on Friday.
In its statement, the ministry, while reiterating that the government was committed to protect interests of all Prasar Bharati employees, said Prasar Bharti is bound by the government’s General Financial Rules to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the ministry that sets times for activities to be done and utilising the money granted during that financial year.
'Fiscal prudence and accountability is the very fulcrum of functioning of any government organisation. Prasar Bharati is bound by the government’s General Financial Rules as any ministry or any organization receiving grants-in-aid from the government of India.
As per provisions of any GFR, any autonomous organisation receiving grants-in-aid from the government of India must sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the ministry, clearly bringing out physical and financial targets and setting timelines for activities to be done by utilising the money granted during that financial year.
For the record, irrespective of repeated reminders from the ministry, no MOU has been signed by Prasar Bharati,' the statement by the ministry said. UNI
Mr Surjewala questioned as to why she chose a Private firm over DD for coverage of IFFI, Goa. He also questioned payment of Rs 2.92 crore by Prasar Bharti to the said company.
He also asked as to why the Minister insisted upon filling two editorial posts with journalists whose salary is higher then what Prasar Bharti can afford. He also questioned whether one of the two journalists is her unofficial media advisor.
The AICC media in-charge questioned the Minister over transfer of 140 Group A IIS officers (out of a cadre of 500) in two months. 'Is this a punishment tool?,' he said.
Mr Surjewala also questioned the transfer of IIS Asso. President, Anindya Sengupta.
Questioning the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter, he asked,' Why is PM Modi mum?'
Reports appearing in a section of the media claimed that Ms Irani had not released any money to Prasar Bharati since December 2017, forcing the public broadcaster to depend on its contingency funds to pay the salaries of Doordarshan and All India Radio employees.
The reports appearing in the media said there have been differences between the I and B Ministry and Prasar Bharati over payments to a private firm that covered the 2017 International Film Festival of India.
As per reports, Doordarshan refused to pay Rs 2.92 crore to Mumbai-based SOL Productions Pvt Ltd, which arranged for live coverage of the festival.
In a clarification issued on Friday, the ministry described the report as “defamatory and sinister”
'it has come to the notice of the ministry that a deliberate, sinister, motivated campaign has been launched by some elements to wrongfully tarnish the image of the ministry of I and B by reporting that money to Prasar Bharati is not being released after December, 2017 as a retaliation for Prasar Bharati not obeying certain dictates of the ministry.
The misinformation is based on ill-will and incorrect appreciation with half-baked facts and is tantamount to causing loss of reputation of the government in public eyes,'the Ministry said in a statement issued on Friday.
In its statement, the ministry, while reiterating that the government was committed to protect interests of all Prasar Bharati employees, said Prasar Bharti is bound by the government’s General Financial Rules to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the ministry that sets times for activities to be done and utilising the money granted during that financial year.
'Fiscal prudence and accountability is the very fulcrum of functioning of any government organisation. Prasar Bharati is bound by the government’s General Financial Rules as any ministry or any organization receiving grants-in-aid from the government of India.
As per provisions of any GFR, any autonomous organisation receiving grants-in-aid from the government of India must sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the ministry, clearly bringing out physical and financial targets and setting timelines for activities to be done by utilising the money granted during that financial year.
For the record, irrespective of repeated reminders from the ministry, no MOU has been signed by Prasar Bharati,' the statement by the ministry said. UNI
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