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Tag: Rajya Sabha

  • Use social media as a tool for participative governance: Pranab Mukherjee

    Use social media as a tool for participative governance: Pranab Mukherjee

    NEW DELHI: Social media will be used as a tool for participative governance, directly engaging people in policy making and administration and “fully realizing our softpower potential,” said President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday, 9 June.

     

    He also acknowledged the fact that there is a need to integrate emerging technologies like social media into “external interchange, with particular emphasis on the country’s rich spiritual, cultural and philosophical heritage.” According to Mukherjee, the government will revive ‘Brand India’ riding on the strengths of 5T’s: Tradition, Talent, Tourism, Trade and Technology.

     

    He added that e-governance brings empowerment, equity and efficiency and has the power to transform peoples’ lives.

     

    In his first address to the joint sitting of the 16th Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, he said: “The backbone of my government’s new ways of working will be a Digital India. IT will be used to drive re-engineering of government processes to improve service delivery and programme implementation. We will strive to provide Wi-Fi zones in critical public areas in the next five years.”

     

    He added: “My government will rollout broad band highway to reach every village and make all schools e-enabled in a phased manner. Technology will be used to prepare our children for a knowledge society. The National e-governance plan will be expanded to cover every government office from the centre to the Panchayat; to provide a wide variety of services to citizens.”

     

    He noted: “Our rich cultural heritage is the very foundation on which rests the unity of our diverse nation. Indian languages are repositories of our rich literature, history, culture, art and other achievements. My government will launch a national mission ‘e-Bhasha’ that will develop digital vernacular content and disseminate our classic literature in different languages. My government will also provide the required resources for the maintenance and restoration of national heritage sites.” 

     

    FICCI president Siddharth Birla has welcomed the announcements relating to national e-governance plans and usage of social media for participative governance, as that “would help restore the credibility of institutions, improve investor confidence and reignite investment inflow in the country,” he said.  

  • Google partners with Network18 on ‘In Conversation’

    Google partners with Network18 on ‘In Conversation’

    MUMBAI: Network18 and Google announced a joint initiative today to help connect prominent politicians with voters across the country. The partnership involves a series of Google Hangouts with politicians titled ‘In conversation”. First in the series will be Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha, who will be addressing voters live via a hangout session on 25th March.

    The 2014 general elections have been acknowledged to be the first in the nation’s history that will be extensively discussed, debated and fought on social media platforms including Google Hangouts and YouTube. The hangout series will involve politicians such as West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee, Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan, NCP President Sharad Pawar, noted economist Jairam Ramesh and social activist Anna Hazare – discussing key topics and issues on the voters minds.

    Announcing the partnership, Rajan Anandan, VP and Managing Director, Google India, said, “India is a politically vibrant country and the 2014 general elections promises to be a landmark in the history of this nation – it marks the beginning of political parties and candidates embracing Internet to reach out to an educated and digitally savvy group of young and potential voters. We are very excited to partner with Network18 to provide our users with all the information they need and engage the leaders of the country on Google products.”

     
    Commenting on this, Ajay Chacko, COO, Network18 added “At Network18, as a leading editorial voice in the country, we have always focused on ideas and initiatives that encourage our citizens to participate and engage. ‘In Conversation’ is another milestone in this direction and it assumes greater significance given the 200 million+ fast-growing, highly aware digital audience that is shaping the agenda during these elections. We are happy to partner with google in this pioneering effort and are confident that this will serve our audiences well.”

     
    Speaking on the partnership, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor in Chief, IBN18 Network, said, “Perhaps more than any other election in the past, these elections are about capturing the imagination of millions of both first-time as well as experienced voters. And it is evident that the frontier of this battle is online. ‘In Conversation’ is a landmark because it meshes the power of digital with the impact of a town hall’.

    Making full use of the power of social media and understanding the importance of getting real time feedback from the citizens of the country, Indian politicians have increasingly started using social media platforms like Google+ to reach out to the netizens. In 2012, Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, was the first Indian public figure to use Hangouts to reach out to his audience. A number of politicians including Arvind Kejriwal of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, HRD Minister Shashi Tharoor and others have used Google+ Hangouts to connect with Indian citizens.

    Don’t miss this special series beginning Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 10:00 PM on CNN-IBN and at 9:30 PM on IBN7.

     

  • Govt. asks Union Ministries, PSUs to give preference to BSNL, MTNL

    Govt. asks Union Ministries, PSUs to give preference to BSNL, MTNL

    NEW DELHI: The government has proposed that union ministries, public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies give preference to the services of the state-run telecom operators – BSNL and MTNL.

     

    Proposing preferential treatment to BSNL and MTNL services in Central Government Ministries/Central Government public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies to enhance the revenues earned by BSNL and MTNL,” Minister of State for Communications and IT Killi Kruparani said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

     

    She said the government had constituted a group of ministers (GoM) on April 17, 2013 to recommend short term, medium term and long term measures for revival and revitalisation of BSNL and MTNL.

     

    In a separate query, Kruparani said BSNL suffered a loss of Rs 7,884 crore in 2012-13 whereas MTNL’s losses stood at Rs 5,321 crore in the same period.

     

    “The principal reasons for the rising losses of BSNL and MTNL are due to sharp decline in revenue and increase in expenditure,” she said.

  • Jaya Bachchan to be presented with Deenanath Mangeshkar Award

    Jaya Bachchan to be presented with Deenanath Mangeshkar Award

    MUMBAi: Lata Mangeshkar will present the Deenanath Mangeshkar Award (Vishesh Puraskar) to veteran Bollywood actress and Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan on 24 April. The 65-year old actress will be presented with the award for her dedicated services to Indian theatre and cinema on the death anniversary of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar.

    Incidentally, Bachchan played a rising playback singer in the Hrishikesh Mukherjee helmed film Abhimaan where she played a character that was said to be modeled on the then leading songstress Lata Mangeshkar.

    "I remember she (Jaya) would come for my song recordings before she began shooting for Abhimaan. During my recordings she used to stare at me and I kept wondering as to why she was doing this. When I saw the film, I noticed that she had copied my gestures, like the way I used to stand, adjust my pallu among a few other things," the singer averred.

    The Master Deenanath Award, instituted in the name of Mangeshkar‘s father, recognizes service in the field of music and films.

    Suresh Wadkar and Vandana Gupte will be awarded for their contribution to Marathi theatre and cinema.

    Veteran musicians, artists, actors, dramatists and social workers will also be honoured by awards that will consist of a memento and cash prize of Rs 101,001.

  • Aaj Tak reporter harassed while following story on gang rape

    Aaj Tak reporter harassed while following story on gang rape

    NEW DELHI: A reporter of Aaj Tak who was attempting to check security measures taken in the wake of the gang rape of a girl in a moving bus last Sunday was harassed in broad daylight today in Vasant Kunj area of New Delhi by three eve teaser in a car.

    A team of ten women reporters from the network which went around the city, however, said that “the power of camera made us feel safe on the haunting and crime filled streets of Delhi during the night”.

    Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan raised this incident in Parliament today and demanded an investigation. Congress MP Girija Vyas also raised this story and expressed her concern on the same. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde shared his concern on the matter and assured the house of investigation on this matter.

    Aaj Tak has launched a campaign on its facebook page against this atrocious crime. The page will give the updates on the pending rape cases of Delhi & NCR. All the gruesome incidents that have happened before will be reopened, to open the government’s eyes. The page also gives an opportunity to the general public to express their views on whether Capital punishment should be mandatory for the rapists or not.

    Expressing the shock at today’s incident, Ashish Bagga, Group CEO, India Today Group, said: “It is horrible and barbaric! Such incidents are dragging us back to the uncivilized era in spite of taking us forward! If the media people themselves are becoming victims, I wonder the scare felt by the ordinary women in city! It’s a shame for all of us and our foremost duty is to fight the menace”.

    Aaj Tak pledge all the other news channels, students, teachers, home makers and everyone to be out on streets and not let the flame of the burning issue fade out.

  • Top political personalities condole passing away of Dara Singh

    Top political personalities condole passing away of Dara Singh

    NEW DELHI: Rustam-e-Hind Dara Singh, who passed away early this morning, has been described by Vice President M Hamid Ansari as an enduring role model to the youth and sportsmen in the country.

    The Vice-President, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni expressed grief on the death of the veteran actor who had never lost a fight during his career as a wrestler.

    Ansari said Dara Singh’s acting career was most memorable for the intensity and diversity of characters that he had portrayed. His role as a nominated Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) is remembered by one and all.

    Dr. Manmohan Singh said Dara Singh had been a noted film actor, producer, and an internationally acclaimed wrestler. He added: “A self educated son-of-the-soil, he rose to the heights of the entertainment world, sports arena and public life with humility and grace.”

    Soni said, “Dara Singh ji will always have a special place in our hearts for his immense contribution to the Indian film industry in various capacities as an actor, director and producer. I also recall his distinguished record as member of the Rajya Sabha.”

  • GoM on paid news to meet soon: Soni

    GoM on paid news to meet soon: Soni

    NEW DELHI: A Group of Ministers (GoM) will shortly meet to examine the report of the Press Council of India on paid news, according to Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni.

    Soni informed the Rajya Sabha today that the GoM was constituted in January last year but could not meet before September due to various reasons including the fact that Panel chairperson and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was tied up in other matters.

    The Press Council had submitted a report on paid news to the government for necessary action after a sub-committee studied the issue. Although the Government had initially released only a short summary of the report, it had later placed the report on the Council’s website following an RTI application.

    The Minister said the GoM was set up in view of the “wider ramifications” of the recommendations, to prepare a comprehensive policy and institutional mechanism to address the issue.

    The PCI has recommended amendment to the Representation of the People’s Act 1951 to make incidence of paid news a punishable electoral malpractice and suggested that the PCI must be fully empowered to adjudicate the complaints of “paid news” to give final judgment in the matter among others.

    The report has also suggested measures to curb the menace of paid news like setting up of a special cell in the Election Commission for action on such complaints and self-regulation by media and awareness generation.

    PCI has cautioned the media to refrain from publishing news masquerading as advertisement and vice-versa.

    The Election Commission has also taken cognizance of this malaise and initiated steps to check incidence of election time paid news, which includes transparency in the money spent by candidates on advertising, a ban on exit and opinion polls until the last round is over, and similar other measures.

  • Hema Malini to receive this year’s ANR award

    Hema Malini to receive this year’s ANR award

    MUMBAI: Hema Malini will be honoured with the Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) award for the year 2011. The award carries a memento, citation and a cash prize of Rs 400,000.

    According to the award committee chairman and Rajya Sabha member T Subbirami Reddy, the award would be presented to the actress on 26 December.

    Noted Nageswara Rao, “Hema Malini is a worthy actress and dancer. Even at the age of 60 years, she is so active both in her acting and dancing careers. She is a right choice.”

    Instituted in 2005 by the Akkineni International Foundation, the ANR award is an ‘Award for Excellence‘ presented to those who dedicated their life towards service to the film industry.

    While the late Dev Anand was the first recipient of the ANR Award in 2005, he was followed by Shabana Azmi, Anjali Devi (popular Telugu actress), Vyjayanthimala Bali, Lata Mangeshkar and K Balachander respectively.

  • Parliamentary panel wants regulations for media

    Parliamentary panel wants regulations for media

    MUMBAI: A Parliamentary Committe has called for a favoured statutory regulations for the media as it was concerned over the live telecast of the 60-hour “Operation Black Tornado” conducted by the security forces during the Mumbai terror attack.

    The Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions, headed by BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, said in its report presented in the House that live feed of commandos being air-dropped endangered the success of operations and safety of hostages as also the security forces.

    “The Committee apprehends that the live footage shown by TV channels to the viewers, could also have been used as free intelligence input by the perpetrators sitting far away from the place of incident who allegedly guided the attackers,” it said.

    The report further added, “Committee expects the media to treat information of sensitive nature carefully and endeavour to ensure that the interest of nation and lives of security forces and hostages in such type of operations is not jeopardised by live telecasting.”

    At the same time, it noted that the live coverage was partially restricted later because of “some good sense prevailing with suitable advisories”. Needless to mention, self-regulation by media otherwise was not in place, it said.

    Self-regulation is an ideal situation but it may not be effective to regulate the media particularly in the scenario of growing competition among the channels for supremacy in the business of ratings, it said.

    “The Committee is, therefore, in favour of having statutory regulations in place covering the print and electronic media, in the larger interest of the society, on the model of the Press Council of India vested with more powers,” it said.

  • Tandon out of LS TV, reportedly 5th exit in last few months

    Tandon out of LS TV, reportedly 5th exit in last few months

    MUMBAI: The executive director (programmes) of Lok Sabha Television, Sudhir Tandon, has been removed from the post. He is reportedly the fifth person in the last few months to leave or ‘be asked to leave’ the yet-to-find-its-feet channel, which was launched last year.

    Tandon, who retired from the post of deputy director general and station director of the Delhi Kendra of Doordarshan last August after a career spanning 35 years, had been with Lok Sabha TV from the time it was conceived in November 2005 and steered its launch in mid-2006.
    Vartika Nanda, executive producer of the channel, has been asked by Bhaskar Ghose, chief executive, Lok Sabha TV, to hold charge until further orders.

    While no reasons have been given for his removal, it is learnt that Tandon had been asked some months earlier to ‘show performance’.

    Tandon tells Indiantelevision.com that he did not know what the reasons for his removal were, and that he had never been told anything. Said Tandon: “Maybe they (the top mandarins at Prasar Bharati) felt that Mr Ghosh and I are two different personalities who did not gel.”

    Tandon said: “Mine is the fifth case over the past six months in which someone has been asked to go, or conditions created in which s/he could not work, so they left.”

    Asked about being told to show performance, Tandon’s reaction was: “What performance should I show? The Lok Sabha TV is what it is today because of me.” Besides, he says he had never been asked to give any appraisal in writing about his performance.

    Tandon added: “Do remember that it was on the basis of my design and programming that Lok Sabha TV has so much of variety, and that Speaker Somnath Chatterjee himself had said that he is proud of this unique channel, in terms of Parliament coverage.”

    Ghosh, when contacted, said: “At that time what he was doing was not really what the channel needed.” Asked whether this was the case right from the beginning, since Tandon had been there since inception, Ghosh said he would not discuss these issues.

    Asked whether the manner of removal was in keeping with government rules, Ghosh refused to comment. When pressed on the matter, Ghosh firmly said: “I am not going to comment on this.”

    Meanwhile, the channel has succeeded in attracting commercial sponsorships from a few advertisers commencing from the winter session in November.

    The channel was formally launched with the monsoon session of the Lok Sabha in mid-July, though it had a trial run in May in the extended budget session which had discussed the office of profit controversy.

    In a recent meet on Legislature and the Media, Chatterjee had mooted a recommendation that the meetings of the 24 Ministry-linked Standing Committees be thrown open to the media. At present, these are not open to the media, but the reports are laid in the tables of both Houses of Parliament. It is understood that he has proposed that these be thrown open initially to LS TV.

    Though there were initial plans to bring both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha under its ambit, the plan was abandoned after the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, rejected the idea after consulting members of the upper house.

    Thus, while LS TV functions as a 24-hour satellite channel, the Rajya Sabha is covered in a 20-km radius through a low power transmitter by Doordarshan during the session periods only.

    The LS TV is one of the few channels in the world owned by the Parliament of the country. While the British Broadcast Corporation manages the Parliament Channel in the United Kingdom, similar channels in the United States and in Canada are managed by organisations of cable operators.