I&B Ministry Gets ₹4552 Crore Budget Boost; Community Radio, Gaming, VFX to Thrive

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated ₹4551.94 crore to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) in the Union Budget 2026-27.
• A significant portion of the budget, ₹2291.88 crore, is earmarked for Prasar Bharati, covering salaries, pensions, and other operational costs.
• The budget includes ₹509.24 crore for Broadcasting Infrastructure Network Development to digitize AIR's FM network and upgrade DTH platforms.
• ₹250 crore is allocated for talent development in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector, establishing labs in schools and colleges.
• ₹8 crore is specifically allocated to support the community radio movement, vital for development communication in underserved communities.

Why It Matters: The I&B Ministry's budget focuses on strengthening public broadcasting, promoting AVGC talent, and boosting community radio.