Launches J&K chapter of PRSI
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 19 : Union Minister of State in PMO with Independent Charge Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh today said, that new communication modes are crucial in today’s citizen centric Government the basis for which have been laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who was the chief guest during the launch of Jammu Chapter of Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) here, said the launch of J&K chapter will definitely script a new history for the UT in the public relations and it is going to touch new horizons and create new themes in public relations for this part of the country.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the greater responsibility of PRSI is to fill the gaps in Government communication in such a manner that the people are informed by the media according to the development communication models.
He said there is need that Modi’s welfare schemes need to be communicated to stakeholders and he expressed hope that the PRSI will definitely play a role in this regard.
Maintaining that PRSI has no link to Rajniti (politics), he said, highlighting the positive and public welfare schemes of the Government can’t be Rajniti. “If you are taking Government programmes and schemes to the public you are making them aware about the public welfare measures while you have no intention of fighting the elections’’, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the gap created by TV channels and other modes of media in disseminating will definitely be filled by PRSI.
While referring to situation in &K prior to annulling of Article 370, he said all Central laws were not implemented in J&K till August 5, 2019. Though these laws were implemented in rest of the country but the J&K was only exception, he added.
The Modi Government decisions including abolition of interviews for Government employment was not implemented in J&K till annulling of Article 370, he added.
He said there were allegations of nepotism and corruption against earlier Governments in interviews but they were not interested in implementing the Central laws. The people getting 100 marks in written tests were given 10 marks in interviews and rejected, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said there was a corrupt system in the erstwhile State. Some leaders even are still misleading to those youth who are opposing the abolition of interviews. But they need to be communicated in loud and clear terms that those days have gone and now everything will be decided on basis of merit. Here the role of PRSI is very important, he added.
The Union Minister said that one youth came to him saying that he was not selected twice though he had secured highest marks in written test because of interview. This Government has opened many job opportunities for the youth like StartUps. They need to be communicated about the same and PRSI can do a wonderful job in this regard, he added.
He said when Narendra Modi became Chief Minister of Gujarat entire media was against him. He overnight transformed Gujarat and rural areas got round the clock power supply. The DD was pressurized not to report the same. But Narendra Modi used social media to get things highlighted, Dr Jitendra Singh added.
He said there is highest Railway bridge in Reasi but media failed to highlight the same. The purple revolution which has become a lucrative earning for the people unfortunately does not cultivate news, for some media persons, he added.
“But to highlight advantages of Lavender cultivation we created our own portal and created a two minutes local folk song which became hit. Hundreds of boys and girls got job. However, media was not interested in highlighting the same”, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the nuances of communication have changed, and has a paradigm shift with the technological interventions which is very challenging for the present day conventional media. The media has to adjust itself with the technology now with the changes in the means of communication, he added.
Calling PM Modi as the best communicator in the world, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Modi has initiated new areas, laid the foundation of unexplored areas which were never in news, the best example being the ‘Swachhta’.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the media must show the brighter side of the Government like the DoNER model of development in the North East which has changed the development paradigms of the North East, the ‘StartUp Stand-up’ revolution in India, historical decision of abolishing interviews for non-gazetted posts, the Deep Sea Mission etc. under Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. The socio-economic reforms made by this Government like the family pension to the divorce daughter, family pension to the families of missing Government employees especially in J&K and North East, the digital life certificate etc. must be brought to the public by the media so that information is disseminated to the deserving, Dr. Jitendra Singh added.
He said, the reporters must not become activists with vested interests as biases can creep in making news not newsworthy. Communication is emerging now as an institution and it becomes the responsibility of PRSI to place the institution above the individual for the welfare of the people, he added.
The others who attended the launch of J&K chapter of Public Relations Society of India were Dr. Ajit Pathak, National President PRSI, Prof. Rajnikant, Dr. Anil Soumit, Regional Director, IIMC Jammu, Dr. Arun Joshi, Senior Journalist, Dinesh Manhotra, general secretary, Press Club Jammu, Sanjeet Khajuria, senior journalist, Dr. Monisa Qadiri and Dr. Archana Kumari.
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