New Delhi, India - 3rd March 2021: Indian Parliament merged its two platforms Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV into one channel named, Sansad TV. Retired IAS Officer Ravi Capoor has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the channel for a time of one year.

Sansad TV is going to have two channels, with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sessions broadcast live on each. The plan was proposed by an expert committee headed by Prasar Bharati CEO Surya Prakash in 2019 and targets reducing expenses, streamlining management of the channel and altering the content to make it more focused and content-driven for the viewers and advertisers.  

“During the recess, the options would be to run current affairs channels in English and Hindi or just shut down one channel and run programmes on the other,” said a senior official involved in the plan.

“The integrated plan would be a major cost-saving exercise as the RSTV shells out ?10-12 crore on rent alone for its office and studio on the Talkatora Road,” said a senior official of the Rajya Sabha. The decision, taken by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu and Speaker of Lok Sabha, Om Birla, is likely for administrative purposes

When Parliament is not in session, the two channels will have “common content to a large extent”, sources have said.