Genesis of DIPR recalled on its 69th B'day
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, November 01 2017: The 69th Information and Public Relations Day was observed today at DIPR complex, Moirangkhom, Imphal with IPR Minister Thongam Biswajit and Commissioner (IPR) K Radhakumar Singh as the chief guest and president .

It was on this day in 1949 that a Publicity Office of the Government of Manipur was set up with late R K Maipaksana as its first Publicity Officer .

As part of the celebration a 3-day DIPR festival on Government's achievement was also inaugurated by the chief guest.

A number of photographs depicting several programmes and activities taken up by the Government and press releases issued by the department were also displayed .

Speaking at the occasion, Thongam Biswajit said that what DIPR has done for the public was well known to the public.

The main objective of DIPR is disseminating information to the public pertaining to achievements, activities and programmes of the Govt.In a democracy, transparency and accountability is very important .

DIPR as a media is a medium between public and the govt.The present Govt.has brought so many changes in the last few months and many more changes are ahead.

To bring development in all sphere, peace and public cooperation is a must, said Biswajit and urged constructive criticism from the public for good governance .

The Minister further said that the Government is looking for more new entrepreneurs to solve the unemployment problems of the State.

Govt.is also trying hard for improvement of the road condition and improvement of power supply in the state .

However, works could not be done well due to rainfall and time constraint.

Govt wants to show practically what it has done for the public.

People’s reaction to what the Government is doing is as important as what the Government wants to tell the people, added the Minister .

On the welfare of the journalist fraternity, the Minister said process for establishment of media park is about to complete and press colony will also come up later.

DIPR building at Keisampat will be completed as early as possible .

In his presidential speech, IPR Commissioner Radhakumar said the role of the DIPR is very important and it could be considered as a two-way traffic.

It is not only to inform the public about the activities and achievement of the Government but to receive feedbacks from the public as well, the Commissioner said.

Also, the existing rules of pension scheme and advertisement policy of the department need to be amended so that journalists and media houses would be benefitted.

The man power in the department is good enough as of now and office building at Keisampat would be completed to some extent within this current financial year .

Any views and opinions for improvement of the department would be welcome from media fraternity, however they must submit in writing, said the Commissioner .

In his welcome and key note address, IPR Director Meghachandra Kongbam emphasized the need to change the structure of the department into a specialized and professional department to achieve the Government's goals to inform, educate and to enlighten the public .

Social media also known as new media is very important nowadays for sharing information.

The department has been able to launch facebook, twitter, youtube and even mobile apps.

Press releases, photos, videos etc were uploaded and posted in these apps and people living outside Manipur and abroad are able to know what DIPR is doing .

The primary duty of the department is to carry out the public relation practices to resolve the issues of the State, he observed.

The celebration not only remembers the first conceptualization of Government publicity but also gives a message to the masses that the State Government has an organization responsible for dissemination of information of public interest, said the Director .

Set up with a very limited number of manpower, infrastructure and equipment, the information machinery of the State Government has now considerably been expanded following its up-gradation as a Directorate.

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