Be Partners with Government: Chief Minister Pema Khandu

Our Correspondent

Namsai: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday called upon the media fraternity of the state to partner with the State Government to achieve developmental goals.

Khandu while addressing the scribes on the occasion of National Press Day here, urged them to play their role of the ‘watch dog’ to root out corruptions, the agenda of his government.

“Corruption is still going on in the state as we have reports that scheme benefits are not reaching to the real beneficiaries while a large chunk of development fund under central schemes are misused. In such situation, media can play a crucial role to unearth the anomalies which will reduce corruption,” Khandu pointed out.

The Chief Minister asked the media fraternity to organize an event by inviting all stakeholders to discuss on the forthcoming panchayat elections in the state and to forward the views to the government whether the elections should be held on party line or in individual basis.

“I want to know whether the coming panchayat elections on party’s basis or individual level. If elections will be held on party line, many genuine candidates will be deprived from getting tickets as various parties have their own dynamics. If election will be held on individual basis, the public could elect a genuine leader who can lead the society,” Khandu said.

Responding to a memorandum submitted by the press fraternity under the aegis of Arunachal Press Club (APC), Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) and Arunachal Electronic and digital Media Association (AEDMA), Pema Khandu assured to approach the union I & B ministry to name the Film and television Institute in the state capital in the name of veteran Journalist Taro Chatung who passed away on October 26 last.

The media bodies in its memorandum requested the government to frame an advertisement policy for electronic media besides enhancing the government advertisement rates.

Assuring all possible help to the state media, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein informed that the state government would work in close coordination with the fourth pillar of democracy to take the state into the developmental front.

“The government has already kept budget provision of two lakh each to 20 students for pursuing their career in journalism besides one crore for scribe pension and an amount of 3.25 crore for construction of the Press Club building,” Mein also the Finance and Planning Minister added.

Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal East constituency Tapir Gao asked the scribes to make Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) a topic of debate to dispel fear among the people.

Gao also urged upon the media houses to give proper exposure of the state to the outside world by highlighting the rich potential.

Earlier, Khandu also release a souvenir on the occasion.

A debate competition on the topic – Revocation of Article 370 in J&K will have a long-term impact on NE – was organised on the occasion where Saint Clariat College and Rajiv Gandhi University emerged as joint winners while Aloka Milil of St Clariat was adjudged as the best speaker.

Altogether three scribes were awarded with V Ravindran Excellence Award in Journalism (Print) and three another with Taro Chatugn Excellence Award in Journalism (Electronic media).

A short film on the life of Taro Chatung, the pioneer of electronics media in the state who died on October 26 last, was also screened on the occasion.

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