Koraput: The Dhimsa FM radio station based at Chhapar village of Umuri panchayat in Koraput district focusses on rural development issues and provides a forum to the local villagers to air their concerns.

Established by SOVA, a local voluntary organisation, two years ago, the station is a hit among the tribal listeners of the district for the wide range of informative and entertainment programmes broadcast in the local languages.

"The idea behind setting up the station was to focus on rural development issues related to food sovereignty, organic farming, women's health, children's problem and to disseminate information related to various government schemes and above all, to provide a platform to the rural residents to air their concerns and promote local artists," said SOVA secretary Sanjit Patnaik.

The station with one recording studio has a 50-watt FM transmitter with coverage radius of 12km for broadcasts that are aired from 6am to 9 am, 10am to 12noon, 2pm to 5pm and 6pm to 9pm in night.

The programmes are divided into various categories ranging from health, education, cultural, interview of villagers and phone-ins.

As many as 62 villages of Koraput and Lamataput blocks of the district tune in to Dhimsa FM regularly.

"The station has provides a wonderful platform to air problems such as women's health issues, practice of early child marriage, sanitation and other developmental issues. Prior to the inauguration of the station, we have prepared over 700 programmes on various subjects," said Sachida Mohanty, who works for the radio station. "As the programmes are prepared by the community in local dialects, it also provides a platform for local artists."

The station appoints at least 12 reporters who travel extensively in the coverage areas and conduct interviews with people who can air their problems. Also, listener clubs have been formed in each of the 62 villages and they have been supplied with radios.

FM stations are an effective tool in places such as Koraput where the administration has limited means of reaching out to people staying in remote and inaccessible areas. "Through the FM radio, which is also available on mobile phones, we can broadcast programmes based on various welfare-schemes of the government meant for rural areas," said a district-level government official.