Sources further said that DD was in an advanced stage of planning the channel and talks were on for a tie-up with BBC, including training of Doordarshan's staff and correspondents to be appointed in different countries. "However, with the recent fiasco in Lok Sabha such plans have to wait till the new government assumes office," said sources.

The news channel was one of the pet projects of Mahajan. The channel was being touted as Doordarshan's answer to other news-based channels such as STAR News and Zee India. The launch of DD Sports, for which credit is being given to Mahajan, has alreadycaused some worry to STAR Sports and ESPN. Doordarshan and BBC had earlier joined hands for a programme sharing arrangement.

The two public broadcasters fell apart following charges of BBC's indifference towards commissioning DD's programmes on its network. Till then Doordarshan was regularly carrying BBC-produced programmes on its two channels. BBC reluctance for carrying DD's programmes was based on the premise of software quality.

Ministry sources admitted that DD's programming quality has deteriorated over the years. They said that the government feels that the proposed autonomy for Prasar Bharati must be reviewed if one has to improve the quality of Doordarshan's programming.

Mahajan told The Financial Express that the total autonomy to DD and AIR would make the I&B ministry virtually redundant. He stressed that if the government was to give financial support to DD and AIR, they had to made accountable to the government.

Significantly, the I&B ministry is also going slow on appointment ofnew members to the Prasar Bharati board as well as other key officials on the grounds that there is lack of clarity over the ministry's role besides a shortage of qualified people.

It is also believed that neither BJP nor Congress is openly in favour of Prasar Bharati, whereas, other political parties such as Janata Dal and communist parties have been in favour of the board's autonomy.

The result of the forthcoming elections would, to a great extent, determine the fate of Prasar Bharati. Till then appointments like the board'schairman, chief executive officer, other permanent and non-permanent members are unlikely to take place. Another key post of director general, Doordarshan, has been lying vacant since the return of joint secretary, broadcasting, to the ministry.