Navneet Kumar Sehgal Assumes Position As Prasar Bharati Chairman

Retired IAS Officer Navneet Kumar Sehgal Appointed as Prasar Bharati Chairman

Navneet Kumar Sehgal, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the Chairman of Prasar Bharati for a term of three years or until he turns 70, whichever comes first. He succeeds Surya Prakash in this role.

According to an order issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, President, on the recommendation of the Selection Committee, appointed Navneet Kumar Sehgal as the Chairman of Prasar Bharati Board. The appointment is effective from the date he assumes charge and is subject to a maximum term of three years or until he reaches the age of seventy.

In another development, the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prasar Bharati, the national public service broadcaster, and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

This strategic collaboration aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of leveraging digital innovation to empower rural India. The USOF has been instrumental in extending high-speed broadband and mobile connectivity to Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages across the country.

Under the MoU, the USOF will ensure efficient and high-speed broadband services in rural and remote areas, while Prasar Bharati will provide bundled OTT services, including linear channels, Live TV, and on-demand content, to end consumers.