As part of its initiative to promote ease of doing business, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has decided to simplify the process of obtaining annual renewal permissions for television channels.

TV broadcasters can now simply pay their annual permission fee up to 60 days before due date to continue operations.

Addressing reporters at the Economic Editor’s Conference here, I&B Minister Venkaiah Naidu said: “Broadcasters who have been given permission for uplinking or downlinking can continue their operations by simply paying the annual permission fee up to 60 day before the due date, which by itself will be treated as permission for continuation of a channel for a further period of one year.”

The decision will provide a major relief for the existing 963 channels including teleports, Naidu said. He added that the Ministry will continue to take more such steps to enhance ease of doing business, in consultation with the stakeholders.

Naidu also announced that the 28th SIMCON (State Information Ministers’ Conference) will take place in New Delhi on December 9-10. Information ministers and principal secretaries from various States will participate. On the agenda are critical issues related to films, community radio and social media.

Meanwhile, talking about the Centre’s decision to demonetise ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes, he said the NDA government has been taking several steps to curb the menace of black money ever since it came to power. The demonetisation has been hailed by all except “some vested interests” who are trying to create panic, he added.

The move will provide a fillip to the formal economy, said the Minister.

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