AIR earned Rs 10 crore from 'Mann Ki Baat' in last 2 years

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' has generated a revenue of about Rs 10 crore for the All India Radio (AIR) in the last two fiscals, the Lok Sabha was informed last Wednesday. In 2016-17, the revenue was to the tune of Rs 5.19 crore, while it was Rs 4.78 crore in 2015-16, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said in a written reply.

He said regional version of the address is also broadcast in 18 languages and 33 dialects on the same day after the completion of the original broadcast.

Besides, the minister said the English and the Sanskrit versions are also broadcast by the AIR.

Rathore said the 'Mann Ki Baat' is disseminated on transmitters for domestic audience and through Internet and shortwave (SW) transmitters for global listeners. Launched on October 3, 2014, Modi addresses the nation every month in 'Mann Ki Baat' programme.