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| Eluding consensus, cabinet defers new advertisement policy | | | Mustansir
Srinagar, July 31: The new advertisement policy prepared by the department of information was deferred by the State Cabinet after some ministers suggested amendments in the draft policy.
The State Cabinet which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah discussed the new advertisement policy prepared by the Information department but was deferred as some ministers raised some queries.
Sources told Early Times on Wednesday that the draft policy was placed before the Cabinet today; however, it was deferred as some of the ministers wanted some changes in the policy before giving node to it.
Sources said the new advertisement policy envisages putting some deterrents to the ever-increasing number of newspapers that has become a cause of concern for the Department, "as after completing one year of publication the newspapers approach the department for empanelment for advertisements."
The Information and Public relations Department puts the number of newspapers at 662 out of which 332 newspapers are published from Jammu and 290 from Kashmir. According to the Information Department 375 newspapers are approved for Government advertisements with the department.
The Department of Information has, according to sources, proposed to increase the minimum period of consideration of newspaper for advertisement from existing one year to three years, sources informed. They said that minimum period of waiting in case of change in periodicity is also being increased.
A senior official in the Information department told Early Times that the department faces enormous problems as the budgetary allocations for the advertisement are far less than the requirement and the problem compounds when more and more newspapers put their claim for consideration of release of advertisement after completing one year of publication.
The official said that the newspaper owners often present concocted figures before the department and there is no fool proof mechanism in place to believe their claims.
Moreover the new advertisement policy has proposed that besides periodical review and update, the newspapers which act in a way prejudicial to the unity and integrity of the country and the State; publish inflammatory materials likely to foment communal disharmony, regional tension and promote secessionism; indulge in the publication of obscene material violating public decency and moral values and violate journalistic code as enunciated by the Press Council of India will not be approved for the advertisements.
According to the proposed policy newspapers will be categorized on the basis of the recommendation of a committee, which will give due consideration to the circulation, production standard, content, number of pages, number of journalists and employees etc. Under the policy, Chief Minister will have powers to relax all or any provision in exceptional cases. |
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