Priority of govt to set up community radio station in aspirational districts: I&B Secy

Community radio can act as hubs of local information dissemination at the ground level and it is the priority of the government to set up at least one such station in each aspirational district, Ministry of Information and Broadcast Secretary Amit Khare said on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the 7th Community Radio Sammelan, he commended the community radio stations for the zeal with which they have been spearheading the community radio movement in the country.

Khare highlighted the significance of community radio and the role played by these stations in disseminating information especially during the time of disasters.

The hard work put in by the people behind these stations has resulted in visible changes, especially in the rural areas, the I&B secretary said.

Representatives of all operational community radio stations across the country along with senior officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcast were present on the occasion, an official statement said.

Khare said local language, content and requirements can be suited and adapted by community radio, which can act as hubs of local information dissemination at the ground level.

He said that each district of the country should have at least one community radio, with priority being setting them up in the aspirational districts. He also urged the members present to act as brand ambassadors for spreading the word about adoption of community radio.

As part of the Niti Aayog's vision, the 'Transformation of Aspirational Districts' programme was launched to effectively transform 115 districts across the nation.

About the theme of the 'sammelan', Khare said there is a need to dovetail content of community radio with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He urged the community radio representatives to also spread among people information of schemes and programmes of government, especially those which directly impact their lives.

Khare also asked the representatives to identify local heroes such as teachers and sportspersons from amongst the community to help make the message delivery more impactful.

A short film showing the step by step process of setting up a community radio station was also launched by Khare on the occasion, the statement said.

I&B Additional Secretary Atul Kumar Tiwari said community radio gives a platform for local voices and is necessary for community empowerment.

The plenary sessions on 'The SDG Journey - leaving no one behind' was chaired by Shri Rakesh Ranjan, Senior Consultant, Niti Aayog, while that on 'Community Radio: Issues, Ideas and Experiences' was chaired by Esther Kar, former director general, Press Information Bureau.