National Press Day
ITANAGAR, Nov 17: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has said that state govt is aware of the challenges and the difficulties faced by the media in the state and that it is committed to free and fair press in the State.
“We do recognize and appreciate your contributions in the path of development. Govt is always here to support you and it is in the top priority of the present govt to look into the welfare of the media fraternity and to safeguard the interests of the media for free and fair press in the State” Mein said while addressing a programme by the media personnel to mark the National Press Day at St. Claret College, Ziro.
Media plays a constructive role and exposes loopholes in the democratic system, which ultimately helps government in filling the vacuums of loopholes and make the system more accountable, responsive and citizen friendly, Mein further added.
He said that the role of media in disseminating the Govt programmes and policies are more significant in Arunachal where rural masses and youths are unaware of the Govt welfare programs and policies due to which they are ignorant of how to avail the benefits.
Assuring to provide Rs 5 crores for construction of Arunachal Press Club Building as announced by respective governments, Mein said that Govt will release the fund as soon as the district administration clears the land allotment. He also assured advertisement policy for electronic media, corpus fund for Journalists’ Welfare Fund.
IPR Parliamentary Secretary Mama Natung said that the state media has been doing its best for the Govt and the people as it connects the Govt with the masses to propagate its policies, he said. He exhorted the media to focus on health and education sectors to ensure that the Govt funds are utilized judiciously. He pleaded the media to refrain from provocative coverage.
Underscoring the huge responsibility of the media, which has overcome the geographical, language and social barriers, Food & Civil Supplies Parliamentary Secretary-cum-local MLA Taage Taki, exhorted the media persons to strictly adhere to journalistic ethics and ideologies in national interest.
Media could make or mar the society, if it fail to toe the ethics and discharge its social responsibility, he said while exhorting the media to adopt constructive journalism to tackle growing drug menace and anti-social activities by bringing mass awareness on negative and positive aspects to benefit the society.
Terming the event an annual collaborative endeavour of press fraternity and IPR department, IPR director Obang Tayeng called for unbiased reporting to balance between its objective and pressing demands to meet it objectives.
Earlier, APC president Chopa Cheda highlighting the objectives of National Press Day said it aimed at bringing mass awareness to make them willing partners of the media. The event was jointly organized by the Arunachal Press Club, Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalist, Arunachal Electronic Media Association and the Department of the IPR, govt of Arunachal Pradesh.
