Assam: Government for weeding out irregular publications- Additional Director, I&PR

Hailakandi

With a view to verifying and assessing the actual figure of newspapers and other publications in Assam, Additional Director, Information and Public Relations, Pradeep Brahma visited Hailakandi district today. The senior official is on a two-day visit to Barak Valley.

Additional Director, Brahma met the office bearers of Hailakandi and Lala Press Clubs and senior journalists representing dailies, weeklies and news channels at the Office of District Information and Public Relations and sought their support and cooperation in finding out the exact number of publications coming out regularly from Hailakandi district together with their circulation figures for submission of report to the Government.

Brahma said he had come with the purpose of ‘weeding out those newspapers which are irregular and brought out with the sole intention of grabbing Government advertisements only’. “The very purpose of issuing advertisements will be defeated if the irregular and erratic publications get advertisements at the expense of genuine ones. That is why the Government wants to weed out irregular publications so that the regular ones get more shares on advertisements. And that in a way also serves the purpose of letting more and more people know about Government schemes and policies,” he added.

Brahma asked the editors and executive editors of Anirbansikha, Dalim and Dibakar weeklies published from Hailakandi to ensure that their publications are brought out on time and to make them available in bus stand, railway station and other public places. The Additional Director told the editors and executive editors to ensure that the publications reach the offices of the Deputy Commissioner, COs, BDOs, DIPRO as well as district heads of all departments regularly.

In regard to revision of advertisement rates for different category of newspapers, Brahma said that the department has initiated the process in right earnest.

DIPRO, Hailakandi, Sabir Nishat sought the cooperation of the media fraternity to get rid of the erratic publications to curb corruption. Nishat also welcomed suggestions from the media persons in disseminating information on Government’s schemes and policies effectively for the welfare of the common man.

The media persons while extending their unstinted support and cooperation thanked the Additional Director for giving the opportunity to listen to their problems.