Chief Secretaries and Disaster Management Departments Urged to Promote New Community Radio Stations in Vulnerable Areas; Emergency Grant of ₹11.50 Lakh Available to Stations Hit by Floods, Earthquakes and Lightning

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, invoking the Policy Guidelines for Community Radio Stations (CRS), has urged Chief Secretaries and Disaster Management Departments to promote new CRS in flood‑prone, coastal and other disaster‑vulnerable areas. The central‑sector scheme “Supporting Community Radio Movement in India”, continued for 2026‑27 to 2030‑31 with a ₹50 crore outlay, aims to strengthen CRS by funding equipment such as UPS, generators and solar systems. An Emergency Grant of ₹11.50 lakh is available to operational CRS affected by floods, earthquakes, lightning or similar natural disasters. The Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting communicated this in response to a Rajya Sabha question.