PM to address press conference in New Year

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is criticised by some for not meeting the media, has decided to address a press conference here, possibly in the first week of January.
The exact date and venue for the New Year press conference are being finalised, sources said. The most likely venue would be the National Media Centre, which became operational a few months back.
The press conference, just months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will be only the second during Singh's second term as the Prime Minister which began in May 2009 even though he has met five Editors and a group of TV Editors once each.

It will be the third press conference in the entire 10 years that he has been the Prime Minister.
The plans for the press conference come at a time when the Congress is in bad state, particularly after the drubbing in recent assembly elections.
The UPA government has been facing criticism on account of "policy paralysis", corruption and price rise and some other issues. Singh is expected to be posed questions on all these issues at the press conference.