(Birat Anupam)

The Nepal Television has launched a new channel, NTV Itahari, from its office at Bajaraha, Itahari, elating the State 1 people.

Nepal Television Chairman, Dr Mahendra Bista, informed NTV Itahari was not state-level broadcasting but an independent channel in itself. "NTV Itahari will have its own programmes and presenters", Bista shared before the media here, adding, "It will be broadcasted through satellite, terrestrial and cable throughout Nepal and some 146 countries in full HD."

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to officially launch the NTV Itahari Channel via video conference on Friday.

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Gokul Banskota, Chief Minister of State 1, Sherdhan Rai, lawmakers, and people’s representatives at local level will be present in the formal inaugural of NTV Itahari here Friday.

To this development, media persons and poets have expressed happiness and hoped of thriving media atmosphere in Itahari city.

"Itahari was almost unheard by the central government while announcing the provisional state capital despite the demand. But the launch of new channel by NTV has kindled hope that Itahari will media capital of State 1," observed a popular poet Badri Bhikhari.

Theater activist from Itahari, Sonu Jayanti, echoed similar hope, "Itahari is brought to limelight with the beginning of NTV Itahari Channel."

Nepal Television, formally established on 30 January 1985, has launched five channels so far.

NTV Itahari has set up its permanent infrastructures including three-storey building with two separate studios. The building was constructed in 10 katthas of land donated by late Julmidevi Tharu on 21 January 1999.

Chairman Bista added NTV Itahari Channel was a project of around Rs 250 million.