Pressed for efficiency

The newly created National Information Centre under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was not only meant to provide state-of-the-art facilities for journalists but also improve the functioning of the Press Information Bureau. But in its first year, the second part of the mandate does not seem to have been fulfilled. The inordinate delay and mismanagement in distribution and renewal of mandatory accreditation cards for journalists has prompted many to question whether the new set-up has done them more harm than good.