With Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for disseminating information among the masses about the work done by his Government, Union Ministers holding around 10 key portfolios will go in for a mega media reach-out by holding interactions with about 100 regional editors from across the country over two days starting February 1 in Jaipur.
The Ministers will apprise them of the developmental and welfare work done and initiatives taken. “They, in turn, are expected to help disseminate information through their news mediums to the people,” sources said adding the Ministers too will get feedback from them about the Government’s functioning and programmes.
“There has been feeling within the party and the Government circles that while the national media is doing satisfactory job in propagating the Government’s schemes and programmes, the publicity is not up to the mark at the regional level.
“Hence, the Government wants to bridge the gap and sensitize the editors of the regional newspapers about its achievements and future plans,” said the sources.
The Conference which will be keenly monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is being organised by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in coordination with the Press Information Bureau (PIB) and Rajasthan Government.
Editors from over 100 regional newspapers including North-East will attend the meeting which will witness Ministers highlighting achievements of the NDA Government in the last one year followed by question-answer session. “The aim will be to develop personnel contacts and ensure regular flow of information,” the sources said.
Union Ministers Maneka Gandhi (Women and Child Development Ministry) Nitin Gadkari (Transport Ministry) Thaawar Chand Gehlot (Social Justice and Empowerment Minister,) JP Nadda (Health Minister), Mahesh Sharma (Tourism and Culture Minister) have confirmed their participation.
Others are Najma Heptullah (Minority Affairs Minister), Birender Singh Chaudhary (Rural Development Minister) along with his two Ministers of States — Sudarshan Bhagat and JK Mohapatra besides Radha Mohan Singh (Agriculture Minister).
To handle the query of mediapersons from North-East region, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju who hails from Arunanchal Pradesh and Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region will be available.
Main focus will be on Government’s social welfare schemes related to health, rural development and minority besides infrastructure. For instance, the focus will be on programmes as Indradhanush, or vaccine immunisation programme, MNREGA, Digital India and Skill India besides women empowerment and entrepreneurship, the sources said.
State Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is said to have expressed her inability to attend the event. Instead, State Social Welfare Minister Arun Chaturvedi will be present.
The event is the part of the NDA Government’s efforts to reach out to the people at the grass-root level. At a recent cabinet meeting too, Modi said Council of Ministers will hold meetings every three months to apprise the Ministers of the Government’s efforts on policy decisions so that they could inform their constituencies.