Doordarshan will launch soon its own "common man's" direct-to-home at a cost of Rs 164 crore (Rs 1.64 billion) with four transponders envisaging 40 channels, including private ones, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Replying to a spate of supplementaries, Information and Broadcasting Minister Jaipal Reddy said, "Doordarshan is launching its own DTH containing many DD channels and also private channels."

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He said this would be free from the hassle of cable operators and monthly subscriptions.

In the initial phase, to encourage adoption of this new technology, it would cover about eight states including Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and the North Eastern Region, public institutions like Anganwadis, schools, public health centres and panchayats.

To a question on why DTH was being permitted since it could affect national security, Reddy said the previous government had set up a Group of Ministers, headed by Home Minister L K Advani, which looked into it and took the view that two angles needed to be taken account of and these were national security and morality.

As regards providing DTH, the clearance of the home ministry and Wireless Planning and Coordination is required, he said.