Union Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy said on Sunday that his ministry has drawn up an ambitious roadmap to set up 400 FM radio stations in the private sector throughout the country.

"In other countries, radio plays an important role and there is a need to develop it in India," he said at a function to release archival recordings of All India Radio and Doordarshan digital cassettes and CDs in Vijayawada on Sunday night.

Referring to the release of digital cassettes and CDs, he said, "shastriya sangeetham (classical music) is AIR's golden treasure, which has to be preserved."