New Delhi: As the government races ahead with its plan to digitise cable TV services in four metros, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the move saying it will affect poor people as set-top boxes are beyond their reach.

"Our poor people will be ruined. They should have evolved some mechanism for this. What was the need for this decision for making mandatory the use of set-top boxes?" Banerjee said here.

"Poor cable operators will be ruined. They will lose business. It will hurt the common man. How he will pay for set top boxes? Don`t they (government) want the poor people to watch cable TV and have some entertainment?" she wondered.

The government has set October 31 as the deadline for completing digitisation in four metros. The I&B Ministry is involved in a high pitched campaign for installation of set- top boxes (STBs) for implementing the digitisation process.

"They have looted the country in seven days, if they are allowed, they will give information and broadcasting also to one private party," Banerjee further said in her speech.

Trinamool leader CM Jatua was a Minister of State in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry at the Centre before the party withdraw its support from the UPA government.

PTI