Chennai: A policy note of Information Technology Department tabled in the ongoing session of Tamil Nadu Assembly stated that the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV) has increased its subscriber base from 4.94 lakh in 2011 to 70.52 lakh this year through 26,200 Local operators spread across the State.
“The revival and revamping of TACTV has helped provide quality Cable TV services at an affordable cost of Rs. 70 per month. At present, TAVTC is transmitting 90 to 100 channels, free-to-air channels, pay channels and private local channels,” it added.
TACTV’s revenue has increased from Rs. 2.44 crore in 2008-09 to Rs. 163.92 crore in 2013-14. It eventually rose from Rs. 181.91 crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 217.02 crore (unaudited) in 2015-16.
According to the policy note, the TACTV was incurring loss till 2011-13 and subsequently increased its subscriber base and tapped revenue from private local channels resulting in profit of Rs. 5.2 crore (2012-13), Rs. 12.02 crore (2013-14), Rs. 18.46 crore (2014-15) and Rs. 32.6 crore (2015-16) after tax.
The response from the local cable operators and the public was overwhelming and more cable operators and the general public have started to come into the fold of TACTV, the note added.
Apart from Chennai, TACTV has distributed a total of 19,291 set-top boxes for providing digital cable TV services in Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and Salem districts.
The Revenue of Arasu Cable from various services has soared from Rs. 2.44 crore in 2008-09 to Rs. 217.02 crore in 2015-16.