Minister Parthasarathy emphasizes skill development for Information Department

Andhra Pradesh : At a meeting held at the Secretariat on Thursday, Information and Public Relations and Housing Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy urged officers and employees of the Information Department to enhance their professional skills by embracing modern technology. The minister highlighted the pivotal role the department plays in disseminating government welfare schemes and announced a new accreditation system for journalists by October 31.

Enhancing the Information Department’s role

During the meeting, attended by field officers of the Information Department, Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy emphasized the importance of the department, describing it as the “eyes and ears” of the government. He underscored the department’s role in increasing public awareness of the government’s development and welfare programs.

The minister directed Information Department Director Himanshu Shukla to consider organizing training programs for employees to build professional expertise, possibly with assistance from industry experts. This initiative aims to improve the department’s ability to utilize modern technology in communicating effectively with the public.

Special data bank and website for development schemes

Minister Parthasarathy also called for the creation of a special data bank to compile comprehensive information related to the government’s welfare and development schemes. He proposed appointing a dedicated officer to manage this data bank and ensure the timely dissemination of information to the public. The minister further recommended that the department improve its website to make it more effective in sharing updates about government initiatives.

In his address, Parthasarathy stressed the importance of the Information Department taking swift action when negative reports about the government surface in the media or on social media platforms. He instructed officials to respond immediately, providing factual clarifications to avoid misinformation.

Accreditation and health scheme for journalists

Director Himanshu Shukla announced that a new accreditation system for journalists will be introduced by October 31. This new system aims to streamline the process and address any current gaps. In addition, updates to the health scheme for journalists were discussed, with changes expected to provide better healthcare support for media professionals.

Organizational improvements and future plans

In addition to the focus on skill development, the meeting also addressed vacancies within the department, with a plan to submit a comprehensive report on the district-wise filling of posts. The provision of vehicles to the department’s field officers was another point of discussion. Minister Parthasarathy assured attendees that these issues would be brought to the attention of the Chief Minister for necessary action.

Joint Directors of Information, Chief Information Engineers, Deputy Directors, and other officials participated in the meeting, signaling a collaborative effort toward the department’s modernization and efficiency.