Kuttanad FM remains a non-starter

ALAPPUZHA: The much-hyped Kuttanad FM Radio project designed to air day-to-day information relevant to the farming community seems to have been abandoned by the state government. The initiative, which was earlier included in the '100 days programme' of the UDF government, was set for launch in 2012 and included talks by experts in agriculture, announcements by the state and Central government on fluctuation in market prices, changes in the weather pattern and the like.
The project rolled out by the state agriculture department was submitted to the Centre in 2010 and was cleared by the Union agriculture ministry, home ministry and ministry of information and broadcasting. It had been decided that the radio station would be set up at the Kuttanad project office at Mankombu. The agriculture department even pitched for a special team to manage the station and chalk out programmes.
By January 2012, Doordarshan agreed to the state government's request to share its frequencies for airing programmes of Kuttanad Community FM Radio. Though the state had earlier approached the Centre with a similar request, the ministry of communication and information technology turned it down as frequencies had already been allotted to private firms operating in and around Kuttanad.
The same year, P Rajendran, now vice-chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University, cleared the way for Kuttanad FM Radio. Rajendran, who was in charge of the Kuttanad Package back then, said he left the post after making all arrangements to start the FM radio project. "Doordarshan agreed to share the frequency, but for some reason the project hasn't taken off till date," he said.
R Ajith Kumar, director of agriculture department, said that though Doordarshan agreed, they could not set up a technical team to manage the station. "We then approached All India Radio. Since November 2013, we have been airing daily programmes for farmers from 6pm through AIR, utilising their infrastructure. If we get allotted an FM frequency from the ministry of communication and information technology, we will start an FM Radio project exclusively for Kuttanad," he said.
Kuttanad Vikasana Samithi executive director Fr Thomas Peelianickal said the package is in a dead condition and is unlikely to take off soon.