Imphal, November 16: Responding to the call of the journalist fraternity in the State, Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has assured strengthening the structural capacity of DIPR so that media houses can get explicit reports on the activities of the Government.

Speaking as chief guest at the National Press Day function organised by DIPR at State Guest House here today, the Chief Secretary said because of communication gap between the DIPR and other State-run Departments, the former could not provide explicit information on the activities and the schemes taken up by the Government.

Once the DIPR is equipped with the latest IT gadgets, it would be able to disseminate information required by the media, he said, while seeking the suggestions and opinions of senior journalists in successful implementation of the project.

With the implementation of Right to Information Act, the State Government should give any information that are worth publishing in the press, he said, adding that this would give additional power to the media.

Quoting the remarks of Nobel laureate Dr Amartya Sen that media plays a pivotal role in building the Nation in addition to the various scandals exposed by the media in which many big guns were persecuted, the Chief Secretary encouraged the State media to continue with its relentless efforts in shaping the society without any biases.

Commissioner of DIPR H Devasekhar Sharma informed that the Government had plans to link-up the head office of DIPR with all the Departments of the State, but the plans had to be stalled as the implementing agency (MANITRON) could not provide the requisite equipments.

When the Government told the agency o return back the money, the latter gave a cheque which was bounced back from the bank, he said.

But things would be systematised to implement the same in terms of making a similar type of Local Area Network connecting all the Government offices with the DIPR head office very soon, he added.

Earlier giving the key note address, AMWJU president Bijoy Kakchingtabam urged the Government to strengthen the structural system of DIPR so as to enable the media houses in to State disseminating information to the people on the progress of the developmental schemes and projects being taken up by the Government.

An open discussion session on �Media and people� was also held to mark the occasion.

General secretary of Senior Citizens for Society, Manipur Prof L Sadananda Singh, former member of Manipur Human Rights Commission Yambem Laba, Consultant editor of Ireibak daily Irengbam Arun and Imphal correspondent of Statesman Yumnam Rupachandra spoke as resource persons during the open discussion.

Dean of Students� Welfare, Manipur University Prof W Nabakumar attended the discussion as moderator.

Five recommendations have also been made as an out come of the open discussion.

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