The government has said that the digitization programme in the four metros including Delhi,Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai has been deferred to give more time to people to enable them to install set top boxes.

Talking to All India Radio in New Delhi today the Joint Secretary Broadcasting Mrs Supriya Sahu said that till now only thirty per cent of one crore twenty three lakh homes in these cities have setup boxes.

She said that if the analog system was to be switched off on 30th of this month, seventy lakh households will not have TV signals.

Mrs Sahu said that time was also needed for finalizing contracts between various stakeholders after fresh regulations were brought out by the TRAI and the government.

She asserted that it was very essential to inform people on the rates they will be getting these services.

Mrs. Sahu also presented government's digitisation programme overview in a digital switch over seminar organised by Ford Foundation and Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia in New Delhi .