Two day economic editors’ conference held in New Delhi provided ample opportunity to the media representatives from different parts of the country to share views with the Union Ministers to understand to which direction the country is heading to. It was a forum provided by the PIB Government of India to have direct interaction between the policy makers sitting in Delhi with the scribes from across the length and breadth of the country. Representative from Kashmir raised railway issues; from Kerela the issue raised among other things was toll tax, which has flared up prices of essential commodities, from Rajasthan it was all about water scarcity. Media representatives from Sikkim, Mizoram also raised various issues, which included about jhum cultivation and non availability of market to export horticultural products. Like other media representatives Manipur Mail editor also attempted to delve into the mind of the Union Ministers to understand what they have in store for the tiny state with the population below 30 lakhs. The answers were encouraging though it came in the form of assurances. The issues put up before them were to begin with, entry of FDI in Manipur, IT park in Manipur, deteriorating condition of national highways passing through Manipur, infrastructural problem with regard to CAU Imphal, up gradation of Imphal airport up to international level, dismal power supply and non availability of cooking gas. At least seven Union Ministers addressed the conference. They provided patient hearing to the points raised by the media representatives. Such conference, which is held annually, must continue as a regular feature. During the NDA regime economic editors’ conference was kept at bay, it was revived only after UPA came to power. In one way the Government policies and programmes framed for the welfare of the people and for speedy development of the country will be put within the belt of hearing by the common masses through such conference. Similarly public information campaigns launched by the Government of India through PIB are tools for reaching out to the common masses. If UPA returns to power again despite the odds nothing surprising, because the mechanism it has evolved to establish contact with the common masses through the conferences and campaigns has become so powerful that it can withstand public pressure and at the end mould opinion which in turns shape Government opinion to focus on the area, where the general public want the Government to focus. After all a Government exists to fulfil the demands and expectations of the common masses. Similar attempts should be made by the state Directorate of Information to build up the sagging image of the Government and also to establish better relation with the common masses. The widening gap between the ruler and ruled needs to be abridged that can be achieved by conducting public relation programmes. Fund should not be a problem. Government at the centre and in the state cannot shirk the duty of keeping in touch with the common masses. Keeping this in view the Government have to set a goal to reach out to the masses. Such conference will be of great help in doing that.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/economic-editors-conference/
