Guwahati, July 12 2010: The two-day All India Editors Conference on Social and Infrastructure Issues in the North Eastern Region began at Guwahti today.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the Conference, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Ambika Soni said, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had redrawn the key parameters of its policy drawing board.

The focus was to infuse quality programming in the dissemination of information and reach out to the remote areas of the country.

The communication strategy of the Ministry aimed to provide quality information by enhancing the outreach of its campaigns through cost effective tools, formats and delivery mechanisms.

It was in this context, that the 1st Regional Conference involving the media units of the Ministry and Information Ministers of the North East was being convened at Guwahati on the 13 July.

This would enable the Ministry to outline the road map for more effective communication platforms in future.

Elaborating further, the Minister said, in the last couple of months, structured debates had been initiated to provide key inputs on the issue of content regulation involving key stakeholders.

It was critical to be sensitive to the viewer, while attempting to balance between self regulation and co-regulation.

The Minister added, that while huge investments had been made in the social sector by the Government, it was imperative for the ministry to spread awareness through innovative communication methods.

Outlining the initiatives taken recently, Smt.

Soni said, some of the key initiatives would be beneficial for the North Eastern States.

The phased expansion of DD DTH platform which proposed to increase free to air channels from 59 to 200 would offer a wide bouquet to the viewers.

The digitalization of AIR and DD would enable remote and far flung regions to receive higher quality signals.

The organization of Mini Film Festivals in the North Eastern region enabled the Ministry to take cinema to the people.

Two festivals were organized at Shillong and Kohima.

The proposal to establish the regional centre of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (II-MC) in Mizoram would enable the North East to become the new 'Information Hub' for the journalistic excellence.

Speaking on the occasion the Minister for Corporate Affairs & Minority Affairs, Salman Khurshid said that the Minority Affairs Ministry had undertaken several schemes to bring about a holistic development profile for the minorities.

The Minister elaborated on several key schemes/initiatives that had created of positive impact on different cross sections of the minorities under purview of the Ministry.

He added that the initiatives of the Ministry in the education sector had facilitated the process of empowerment amongst young girls.

The Minister also spoke of the diversification process within the ministry aiming to empower the minority communities through innovative schemes in the economic sphere.

The Chief Minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi spoke of the initiatives taken by the Government of Assam in the development sector, with the aim of empowering different cross sections of society.

Neelam Kapur, Pr Director General (M&C) in her welcome highlighted the importance of the conference particularly in the context of the North East.

She gave an outline of the conference agenda and acknowledged the critical role of the media in spreading quality information regarding social programs undertaken by the Government.

The two-day conference is expected to be addressed by other key principals from the Ministry of Tourism, Rural Development, Ministry of DONER, Horticulture Commission etc.

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