The state on Wednesday imposed a blanket ban on transmission of analogue signals for cable TV in the Patna Municipal Corporation area.

This was decided at a meeting the state information and public relation department had with cable operators. Multi-system operators (MSOs) submitted declarations to department secretary Brajesh Mehrotra that they have switched off analogue signals for cable TV.

“The extended deadline for digitisation of cable TV in the PMC area expired on May 31. Cable operators had been repeatedly asked to stop beaming analogue signals and they have finally affirmed the same,” said Mehrotra.

The department will soon write to ministry of information and broadcasting that digitisation mandate is being effectively implemented in Bihar.

Darsh Digital Network Pvt. Ltd stopped beaming analogue signals on Tuesday morning. Another MSO, SITI Maurya Cablenet Pvt. Ltd, stopped it on Monday. Ahmedabad-based Gujarat Telelink Pvt. Ltd, which began operations in Patna little over a month ago, too, complied with the diktat on Wednesday.

“We have a subscriber base of around 80,000 television sets and have installed digital set-top boxes in around 40,000,” a senior GTPL executive said. He also raised the issue of payment of value added tax (VAT).

“MSOs procure set-top boxes in advance and realisation of price is made only after their sale to subscribers.

“We are paying VAT in advance. The financial burden hinders procurement of set-top boxes in bulk due,” said the executive.

Arvind Kumar Tiwari, nodal officer for digitisation of cable TV in Patna, threatened action against cable operators still transmitting analogue signals.

“All three MSOs have submitted a declaration that they have switched off analogue signals. If any MSO or local cable operator is found beaming analogue signals hereafter, we would seek cancellation of their licence,” said Tiwari.

An estimated 2 lakh television sets in Patna must be showing blank screens now. Of the targeted 4 lakh television sets in PMC area, digital set-top boxes have been installed for around 2 lakh.

Rajnish Dikshit, director, SITI Maurya Cablenet Pvt. Ltd, claimed that they have installed set-top boxes in around 94,000 television sets in Patna and around 1 lakh are still to be installed.