India may have its own version of National Geographic channel from the next year. Doordarshan is planning to launch an exclusive indigenous nature channel DD Prakriti, which will mainly promote nature conservation films in India, next year. The channel will continue through the period of the National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) that is effective till 2031, Indian Express reported today. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change this month released the third-NWAP (2017-2031) and also recommended the setting up of this ”exclusive channel”. The channel, DD Prakriti will be launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Doordarshan, for promoting awareness about nature conservation in the country”. It was also recommended that the channel continues through the plan period.
National Wildlife Board member and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) CEO, Vivek Menon said this was a step towards promoting nature films made by Indians. “Instead of only consuming Discovery Channel and National Geographic that largely comes to us from outside India, this is a step towards promoting nature films made by Indians and there is a lot of material already to work with,” Menon said. The NWAP also pointed out that the country is in the “midst of great socio-economic changes, which are bound to have significant impact on the wildlife conservation scenario”. It further said that ”nature literacy” is one such step which will ensure that the impact doesn’t turn negetive.However, Doordarshan’s prior attempts of launching exclusive channels have not reaped the desired outcome. DD Prakriti will be the latest in its string of 24×7 channels dedicated to an issue or region.
Source & Credit:- http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/move-over-national-geographic-and-discovery-india-to-have-its-own-channel-dedicated-to-nature-soon/900895/