New Delhi: Though all the time Govt and non govt organizations are trying to promote community voice through community radio, its day dream now due to inaction of govt , multilateral & non govt bodies. Despite many success stories on community radio in India, sustainability of a community radio is still a challenge. Of the 913 applications for grant of license, between 2003 and 2011, only 149 stations were granted permission by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and nearly 117 are functional.

Most of these functional Community Radios are established in Univ & college campuses which are far from the community based on that practice. Source from a study says that very few community radios are linked with their proposed community. But all of others are broadcasting only 2/3 hours programme per day.

Among other NGO managed community radios most of the NGOs are grassroot based and facing trouble to manage it. So make it sustainable is now a challenge for them.

There is no option to fund these needy community radios from either Govt or Non Govt agencies. Though there are few options with govt to support community radios but its harassing the CRs due to the delay & corrupt process.

One of the option for CR funding is under Extension Reform scheme of ATMA in Ministry of Agriculture. Now Pandora’s box of corruption is opened in this scheme with corruption and misappropriation at the top. Though the policy & guideline of this scheme says that to get this support the NGO should hold a valid license from Ministry for operating the CRS. But now a days a number of NGOs have received huge money in different states without a valid license. When Wireless operation License (WOL) is the real valid license for operating community radio, dept has supported a number of NGOs without license, who thay are just applicants. There is no guaranty to get license if any NGO has applied and get Letter of Intent. There is possibility of rejection for license. Here question arises if these organizations will not get license from ministry what will be about these huge pubic money? Even concerned authority does not know which organizations have received support in this scheme. In the name of Community Radio crores of rupees are misappropriated by the concerned authority in association with the state dept officials. Some NGOs are also raked up another controversy by claiming that some consultants are moving around the ATMA office and asking for bribe to make sanction of ATMA grant for community radio. This itself is a clear indication how the funds under ATMA are being misutilised and misappropriated by Dept of Agriculture in the name of community radio. When a number of licensed operating community radios are facing trouble to survive the Dept is eyeing on NGOs who will benefit them. One authority of the section says “we don’t have any information to whom this fund is sanctioned and given. Its state matter, state will do that.” Its heart touching matter that if Govt of India is providing support and is not informed regarding the utility of this fund. Who is acting on behalf then? Institution of the inquiry should be done immediately on this scandal and strong action should be taken against culprits.