Field publicity dir conducts workshop

Kohima, June 15 (EMN): The directorate of Field Publicity (DFP), of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, regional office for Nagaland and Manipur, organised a workshop for field officers on the Special Outreach Programme 2017-18 today at Hotel de Oriental Grand in Kohima town. Officers and staffers from the DFP and the DIPR attended the event. It was organised with the aim to sensitize field officers and staffers on the special outreach programme and to communicate to the people information about the various flagship programmes initiated by the central government with special focus on Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and the PM Jan Dhan Yojana. Parliamentary Secretary for Information & Public Relations Imtikümzük, who attended the programme as the chief guest, expressed hope that the workshop would effectively equip and educate the field officers of the departments in concern. “As field officers, it is our duty to disseminate timely information to the masses and reach out to the people living in the rural areas in order to make them aware on the various schemes and developmental activities carried out by the government,” Imtikümzük said. “DFP envisages direct contact with people through interpersonal communication programmes so that information about plans, programmes, schemes, policies and achievements of GoI is delivered to them at their doorsteps and also at their convenience,” he said maintaining that the officers are should also own the responsibility to take the feedback from the people back to the government in order to improve effective two-way information flow between the government and the people. “DFP envisions to become a world class messenger in interpersonal communication mode between the government and the people thereby creating a better informed society,” he said and urged the officers to do justice to their assigned duties. Delivering the keynote address, Mangjangam Touthang, regional director of the DFP, said that the government-owned media including the DFP, Press Information & Bureau, DAVP, All India Radio, Doordashan, etc., have a significant role to play. He, however, observed that government-owned media act under certain ‘constraints’ and thus they are perceived as part of the government by the people. “Hence, the credibility of the developmental stories they produce may be questioned by the common man,” he said and voiced the need for consideration of the two-way working of the media. “DFP seeks to disseminate information, generate awareness and bring about attitudinal change among the people towards the Union Government’s plans and programmes. DFP collects feedback from the people about various initiatives and policies of the government and thus acts as a bridge between the people and the government in the true sense,” he stated. Touthang also informed that there are eight publicity units under the control and supervision of regional office, Kohima, with six units in Manipur and two units in Nagaland. Through its field units spread across the two states, DFP carries out routine and special awareness campaigns on various programmes and policies of ministries and departments of the central government. He also sought the support of the State government as well as both the government and independent media for creating a meaningful awareness among the intended stakeholders and beneficiaries.