The radio and television have changed the entire scenario of the communication system and brought a significant improvement in trading and commercial activities. The All India Radio (AIR) was a network of six stations at the time of Independence.
Its number has increased to 236 stations during 1995-96, including stations for regional and commercial services. The television network, i.e., Doordarshan at present covers more than 85 per cent of the population of the country.
The rapid expansion of television network has made it possible to link major part of country’s remote and rural areas with national mainstream. By the close of 1996, total TV transmitters were 834.
The Satellite INSAT-2B has given further information boost to telecommunication, meteorological information and radio transmission. Still another step has been the satellite channel system (cable T.V. etc.) in this direction.
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Telephones, Wireless, Press and Post and Telegraph are the major means of communication. The satellite is the latest addition to this category of communication. India receives the communication messages from its satellite T.V.
The National Telecom Policy has envisaged that India should emerge as a major manufacturing base and major exporter of telecom equipment.
Development of Indian multi nationals will be our goal in the Ninth Plan. The necessary policy initiatives will be taken during this period to remove bottlenecks in its way. This would encourage joint ventures, rationalization of custom and import duties on inputs and development of a strong industry sponsored R&D base.
Ninth plan. During the Ninth plan, telephone demand is expected to grow from about 180 lakh lines in the first year to about 360 lakh lines in the terminal year i.e., 2001-2002.
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To achieve the goal of providing telephones on demand, about 215 lakh new connections would have to be provided. Assuming a per line cost of Rs. 40,000 an investment of about Rs. 86,000 crore would be needed.