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12TH NOVEMBER TO BE OBSERVED AS NATIONAL PUBLIC BROADCASTING DAY
The Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Smt. Susma Swaraj declared that from this year onwards, 12th November every year would be observed as National Public Broadcasting Day. She was attending a function here today to commemorate Gandhiji’s visit to the Broadcasting House on 12th November, 1947. Gandhiji had broadcast live message to the refugees in Kurukshetra Camp.In her speech, the Minister called for more private participation in broadcasting sector to enhance competition but she stressed upon the immense need for public broadcasting. She said that relevance of Gandhiji’s teachings will be there for ever. In this connection, the Minister suggested the initiation of two new awards, one for best programme based on Gandhiji’s teachings and other one on best public broadcast programme.
On this occasion, Smt. Swaraj felicitated former D.G. of AIR, Shri P.C. Chatterjee for his immense contribution to public broadcasting in India. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Ramesh Bais honoured Shri Lakhmi Chand, senior most Group D employee for his contribution in AIR.
CEO, Prasar Bharati, Shri Rajeev Ratna Shah also addressed the gathering. Present on the occasion were veteran Gandhian, Smt. Nirmala Deshpande, DG (News) AIR, Shri Harish Awasthi and senior officials and employees of AIR and Doordarshan.
‘11’ WORLD BANK PRESIDENT’S ENGAGEMENTS IN DELHI
A delegation led by Mr. J.D. Wolfensohn, President, World bank after completing the visits to the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, will be arriving in Delhi on November 13, 2000.
The delegation will be here for two days. On November 13, Mr. Wolfensohn will meet the Finance Minister and the Information Technology Minister. A presentation on India’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and Programme (by the Planning Commission) and the World Bank’s Portfolio in India : Overall Status and Strategy (by the Department of Economic Affairs) will be made to the President in the Ministry of Finance, in which Secretary level officers of various line Ministries / Departments implementing the projects under different sectors for which the Bank is extending assistance, will be participating. The President, World Bank, will meet the private sector representatives over a lunch, organized by the International Finance Corporation. He will also visit NIIT and introduce disadvantaged children to computers. A dinner is being hosted by the Finance Minister in honour of the visiting Bank President.
On November 14, he will call on the Prime Minister besides meeting the Ministers of Health, Power and the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission.