Himachal asks for community radio for tribal areas

HimVani
New Delhi: Speaking at the Information and Broadcasting Ministers’ Conference here,
Director, Information and Public Relations, Himachal Pradesh, Dinesh Malhotra on Thursday said that the state government had requested the Centre to set up community radio stations in remote, inaccessible and tribal areas of the state to ensure fastesr and equitable communication.
He said traditional media like newspapers, magazines and television channels have limited reach in tribal areas like Pangi, Lahaul Spiti due to difficult geographical and topographical conditions there. Therefore, community stations could play a pivotal role in keeping this area connected to the mainstream, he said. “Setting up of community stations for different regions so as to cater to their local needs in local dialects and native language could be much effective than the present system of communication,”  he claimed.
Malhotra also pleaded for increase in news time of Shimla AIR and Doordarshan stations so as to provide more time for developmental, cultural and literary news items. He demanded that news time of Shimla Doordarshan should be increased from present 15 minutes to 30 minutes daily while the news time of All India Radio Shimla should be extended from present 10 minutes to 15 minutes daily. He also requested for strengthening of transmission system of All India Radio and Doordarshan Shimla in the state.
Malhotra requested the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to start centrally sponsored schemes in the state and also pleaded for supply of 20,000 DTH receiver sets to the state for setting up in the sensitive border areas so as to ensure maximum reach of official media in these areas.