STATUS OF EMPLOYEES OF PRASAR BHARATI

Prasar Bharati was constituted as a statutory Corporation in November, 1997 after the enforcement of Prasar Bharati ( Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990.  Under Section 11 of the Prasar Bharati Act it was provided that the Central Government may transfer by order with effect from such date or dates as may be specified in the order to the Corporation any of the officers or other employees serving in the Akashvani or Doordarshan and engaged in the performance of those functions.  However, the services of the existing employees of AIR and Doordarshan could not be transferred so far to the Corporation due to opposition from the employees.  As such they continue to be Government servants on “deemed deputation” to Prasar Bharati.  However, since they were working in an autonomous organization into which they were eventually to be absorbed, there was uncertainty regarding their status.  They were encountering difficulties in getting CGHS facilities, General Pool Accommodation and admission of their wards to the Kendriya Vidyalayas as they were not treated as Government servants but as employees of an autonomous organization.  The employees had been agitating for an early decision regarding their status.

To end the uncertainty about the status of employees of Prasar Bharati, the Cabinet has decided as follows :

 (i)                All Central Government employees, recruited for the purposes of and working in Akashvani or Doordarshan, as on the appointed day are on deemed deputation to the Corporation w.e.f. 1.4.2000 and will continue on deemed deputation till the time of their  retirement.

(ii)                All Central Government employees, recruited for the purposes of an working in Akashvani or Doordarshan, as on the 5^th October, 2007 (i.e. the date on which the GOM on Prasar Bharati took a decision in this regard) on vacant government posts and recruited as per government rules, shall enjoy status equivalent to employees serving on “deemed deputation” as above from the date of their joining service under Akashvani and Doordarshan till the time of their retirement.  They will be eligible for all facilities available to Central Government employees (including general pool accommodation, CGHS and Kendriya Vidyalaya) and all retirement and pensionary benefits also irrespective of whether Prasar Bharati is considered to be on Autonomous organization.  However, the employees recruited between 1.1.2004 and 5.10.2007 shall be covered by the new  Pension scheme made effective by the Central Government w.e.f. 1.1.2004. 

(iii)               All the employees referred to in (i) & (ii) above shall be entitled to the pay scales and all other benefits as per their entitlement as Central Government employees.  However they shall not be entitled to any deputation allowance.

            (iv)                With effect from 6^th October 2007, all existing vacant government posts stand transferred to Prasar Bharati and all persons recruited against those posts or who actually join service in Prasar Bharati after the said date (even though recruitment process or the appointment letter may have been issued prior to 5^th October 2007) shall be Prasar Bharati employees and subject to such rules and regulations governing their employment as may be approved by the Prasar Bharati Board.