MUMBAI: Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India has signed a Grant of Permission agreement for establishing, maintaining and operating a Community Radio Station at National Institute for Visually Handicapped, Dehradun.

Letter of Intent had been issued to the Institute after recommendations of Inter Ministerial Committee and seeking requisite clearances from various Ministries. The Community Radio Station is expected to be operational within three months as per the agreement. With this, the number of CRS will increase to 66 in the country.

The Community Radio Station will be established with the objectives to disseminate information on education, training, employment and other facilities available for blind persons, their families and community institutions and will serve as a platform to showcase talent of blind persons. It will be used as a training studio for blind students of mass communication and Broadcasting. The Community Radio will provide an opportunity for empowerment of women, to conduct, sponsor, co-ordinate or subsidize research into all aspects of education and rehabilitation of the visually handicapped and to promote the integration of visually handicapped children in schools and adults in the society.

The Ministry encourages setting up of Community Radio Station as it promises to provide an opportunity to the local communities to express themselves, share their views and particularly empower women, youth and the marginalized groups to take part in local self governance and overall socio economic and cultural development in the area.