To be launched in 10 days, the new FM station will air programmes on farming and housekeeping for the rural masses along with tribal and devotional songs. Telegraph picture

Ranchi, Feb. 21: The countdown has begun. In 10 days Radio Birsa Hariyali would go on air on the 107.8 FM band.

Preparations are in the final leg at the Radio Birsa Studio, which has been funded by the Union ministry of information and broadcasting.

As part of daily tests, trial runs are being conducted with intermittent broadcast of tribal and devotional songs to check the efficiency of the systems installed.

“Radio Birsa Hariyali would be launched on the FM bandwidth on the inaugural day of the three-day Kisan Mela that starts from March 3. It is being organised by the Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) on its campus in Kanke, Ranchi. Governor Syed Sibtey Razi would inaugurate the first university-run radio in the state,” director (extension education), BAU, R.P. Singh Ratan told The Telegraph.

The broadcast would be available within a radius of 20km, a little less than All India Radio, Ranchi.

Since the target audience of Radio Birsa are the farmers and the rural populace, the broadcast would be initially limited to two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.

The timings would gradually be increased.

The BAU director extension said that the programme would educate the masses as well as entertain them.

The initial programme schedule comprises the latest on farm developments, market rate of grains, pesticides and fertilisers, advice to farmers by experts, things to watch out for and how to ensure a bumper harvest.

Radio Birsa would also have special programmes for women like Ghrahani.

In these programmes, every thing related to women would be covered so that listeners get valuable information on food, health and hygiene.

Singh informed that experts from the World Development Foundation, New Delhi, are lending support in putting up the studio, which is now in its final stages.

Even the daily trial broadcasts are being monitored by the experts.

Since these are only trial runs, there are no fixed timings though the test broadcasts are being done both in the mornings and evenings.