Bengal govt to take over 2 Saradha-owned channels

The West Bengal government has decided to take over scam-tainted Saradha Group-owned two television channels facing closure.

The decision was taken following an appeal by employees of the two channels - Tara News and Tara Muzic - seeking government intervention, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters at Writers’ Buildings. She said 168 employees of the channels would get an ex-gratia of Rs 16,000 each from this month.

The state government would provide Rs 26 lakh from the CM’s relief fund on humanitarian grounds to run the channels. However, it would not take the liability of the channels which amounted to Rs six crore, she said.

Opposing the move, CPI(M) leader Surya Kanta Mishra, who is the Leader of the Opposition, told reporters, ‘Does the state government have the right to run a TV channel other than the 

Government of India which runs Prasar Bharati?’