Conference to focus on role of community radio

Role of community radio movement in promoting initiatives like 'Beti Bachao' and 'Jan Dhan Yojana' will be the main focus of a three-day conference beginning tomorrow.
Organised by the I&B ministry, the '5th National Community Radio Sammelan' here would also see participants discussing the role of community radio in setting the agenda on the development discourse at the local level.
There will be sessions including those on role of community radio in promoting water and sanitation, girls' education with emphasis on 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' and financial inclusion with emphasis on 'Jan Dhan Yojana'.
Another discussion will focus on the role of community radio in promoting healthcare, especially at the the grassroots level.

A senior ministry official said that a majority of the community radio stations operate in rural and remote parts of the country and have demonstrated their strength as people's media.
In the seminar, the utility and reach of this medium will be discussed with regard to some of these issues and initiatives which are high on the government's developmental agenda, the official said.
The Sammelan will be inaugurated by I&B Minister Arun Jaitely.
Community radio has witnessed a steady growth in the past few years and the I&B ministry has issued 409 permissions to set up such radio stations in the country. Of these, 179 stations have become operational while others are learnt to be in the pipeline.