Mail News Service
Imphal, Nov 8 : There were certain editorials and news reports in some of the local daily newspapers relating to the Information and Public Relations Day, which falls on November 1, which was not celebrated this year due to the financial constraint faced by the Government said a press clarification issued by Th. Samo, APO(Press) today.
It was stated that the State Journalists’ Awards were given on the Information Day in earlier years as a matter of convenience and not as a mandatory event. It was decided by the Government that it would be more appropriate to give the journalists’ Awards on the National Press Day on November 16, and this has been done from 2011.
Proposal for giving the Awards along with observance of the National Press Day on November 16 this year is being processed by the Government. Seminars and workshops on important issues on journalists and journalism are also organized on the National Press Day and not on the Information Day.
It will be proper to distinguish between functions/responsibilities of DIPR and celebration of the Information Day. Functions of DIPR are services provided by DIPR to others, i.e. other Departments of the Government and the public, including the press.
But celebration of Information Day involves providing service to DIPR Officers and staff themselves. Apart from serving to highlight the importance of DIPR, it also serves as an occasion for DIPR staff to celebrate and enjoy themselves, and for giving benefits to the officers and staff of DIPR in the form of gifts to retired employees and selected good performers in certain years. It was felt that it would not be proper for DIPR officers/staff to celebrate and enjoy themselves this year w.iile the Department is unable to pay bills for newspaper subscriptions, printing publications, etc.
The fear in the mind of DIPR officers was that spending money on celebrating Information Day while bills remain unpaid would invite criticism. Hence, the decision to forego celebration of Information Day Was taken in good faith in deference to the difficult financial situation in which the Government finds itself today. Non-celebration of the day is a loss for DIPR officers/staff, and not for the public or the press.
DIPR officers/staff felt that by foregoing celebration of Information Day, they sacrificed their chance of getting benefits from the Government.
Non-celebration of Information Day has no adverse effect on the services provided by DIPR to others.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/diprs-stand-of-information-day/
