Promotions being denied, lament DD and AIR staff

Several personnel were recruited by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) under the Indian Broadcasting Programme Service (IBPS) cadre. However, they have not been given promotion, officials told DTNext, on condition of anonymity.

The officials cite corruption as the main issue behind the poor state of administration at Prasar Bharati, an autonomous body.

An official in the rank of Programme Director said that retired IAS officers who were close to the politicians of the ruling party were appointed as superiors to them and they do not have any idea about the programmes broadcast in AIR.

Although their promotion is guided as per the Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Rules of 1990 and they should have been promoted to Assistant Director, Station Director and Deputy Director General, the official said they were made to work as Programme Directors throughout their career.

This was against the rules and even though the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), the Supreme Court and UPSC had given directions to promote the Programme Directors, Prasar Bharati had refused to follow the orders, he said.

“The politicians place their kin and their friends in top posts in Prasar Bharati and they refuse to promote us,” lamented the official.

The official also said there is severe problem of staff shortage in Prasar Bharati. “The Programme Director is assigned the job of a Station Director without being promoted. He or she does not get the monetary benefits either. Sometimes they would be asked to take care of two stations,” said the official.

Another official said Prasar Bharati was not allotting funds to run the programmes and instead asking the Programme Directors to seek advertisements. “All the money is diverted to the top officials and there is rampant corruption,” alleged the official.

He said the agitated officials based in Chennai have so far not caused disruption in telecasting the programmes and have staged protest only during the lunch hours or on their holidays.

“However, we will intensify our protest by boycotting work if Prasar Bharati continues to neglect our demands,” said the official.