On Thursday, Iranna Kadadi, a Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had a meeting with Anurag Thakur, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting. During the meeting, Kadadi requested the establishment of FM Stations for Belagavi city.
He mentioned in a request letter that “Belagavi, referred to as the “Second Capital of Karnataka,” holds significant importance in North Karnataka. The city’s rich historical, cultural, and economic heritage make it an ideal location for establishing Radio FM stations and channels. Belagavi, with its diverse population and strategic position, serves as a regional hub for various activities, trade, and cultural exchange. We kindly seek your attention and support in expanding broadcasting services in our city.”
At present no private FM Radio channel is operating in the city of Belagavi (Belgaum) Karnataka. The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 2016 had issued a notification inviting applications for e-auction of 266 FM radio channels in 92 cities, including Belagavi, in the second batch of FM Phase III programme. The auction was held for four channels proposed for Belagavi, which has been listed under the C category (having a population of 3 lakh to 10 lakh) with a reserve price of Rs. 7.02 crore. The frequencies identified for selection (MHz) of channels are 92.1, 92.9, 93.7, 94.5, 104.2 and 105. but No bids were recieved.
Four Private FM Radio channels are proposed to be auctioned in Belagavi in the upcoming batch of e-auction, said Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a RTI reply filed by us.
