Itanagar, May 30 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh government is planning to set up community radio stations (CRS) in every district, with a focus on enhancing grassroots communication and disseminating government policies effectively, an official statement said on Friday.
The stations will also be used to promote local socio-economic and cultural development.
The move aims to transform how information reaches communities by adopting a two-way communication model that values outreach and feedback, the official statement said.
In a video conference held on Friday, Information and Public Relations (IPR) Secretary Nyali Ete addressed all the deputy commissioners to discuss the strategic rollout of the CRS project, the statement said.
Ete emphasised that these stations will not treat districts as homogenous units but instead cater to the distinct needs of multiple communities within each district.
He highlighted that the CRS units will serve as vital conduits for spreading information and gathering community input, which can, in turn, shape policy decisions, it said.
Senior officials, including IPR director Gijum Tali, deputy director Marbang Ezing, photographic officer (PGO) Manoj Bhattacharjee and DGM of Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd (BECIL) Khuswinder Singh Bhatia, attended the meeting.
Bhatia gave a detailed presentation on the framework and objectives guiding the setup of the CRS units.
District Information and Public Relations Officers (DIPROs) and the deputy commissioners were also present.
The key principles outlined by the IPR Secretary included the requirement that the community radio stations operated by non-profit entities to ensure credibility and public trust and that at least 50 per cent of the broadcast content must be localised, featuring official information, community-driven discussions, and participation through talk shows, the statement said.
These stations are also expected to serve as platforms for empowering communities to articulate their development priorities and needs.
Ete thanked the deputy commissioners for their engagement and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the timely execution of the CRS project, calling it a vital initiative for community empowerment and effective governance, the statement added.