CM: Media a powerful tool, needs digital innovation

Advocating the importance of media in a strong democracy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that dialogue could solve many problems and media was the medium to communicate and take one’s views across the world.

“The media is a powerful medium of communication and the need of the hour is to strengthen it by introducing new digital innovation,” Yogi said while inaugurating a new Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Information Complex in Lucknow on Friday.

In his address, the chief minister announced Rs 5 lakh health insurance for all accredited journalists and Rs 10 lakh for those media persons who died of COVID-19 in the recent past.

“The Information and Publicity Department is instrumental in giving information to the masses about government schemes. This department acts as a bridge between the government and the people and it is the responsibility of the Information department to ensure that the schemes reach people and benefit them,” Yogi said.

The chief minister said that One District, One Product stall should be displayed in the new building.

“In fact, such stalls should be in all government buildings, including Lok Bhawan, so that people visiting them could know about the ODOP scheme and local products. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suggested branding of local products and coined the slogan Vocal for Local,” he said.

Yogi said that the common man was happy with the performance of the Modi government as it was able to provide houses, power and toilets.

“The PM is sensitive towards people and therefore he introduced such schemes which would benefit all sections of society,” he said.

“The Uttar Pradesh government is working hard to fulfil the dream of the prime minister and is implementing schemes for the poor and the marginalised,” he said.

Elaborating on the success of his government, the chief minister said that they were able to control encephalitis in 38 districts of eastern UP and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by the prime minister played a decisive role in eradicating the disease.

“The Swachh Bharat mission had a target to make five crore toilets but in the first two-and-half years, 43 lakh toilets were constructed. In the first 18 months of our government, we were able to achieve the target,” he said.

Yogi further said that construction of toilets brought the mortality rate of encephalitis down as it stopped the infection spread.

“In 2014, at least 641 children died of encephalitis in BRD Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur while in 2020, only seven people died. The number has shown a steady decline since 2017,” he said.

“Encephalitis is on the wane and the media should highlight it. The government has used its experience in tackling the dreaded disease during the spread of coronavirus,” he said.

Since COVID-19 spread in the last six months, the UP government distributed free ration 12 times while pension beneficiaries were paid money without delay. Under Atmanirbhar package, 7.5 lakh MSME units were provided loans while under Garib Kalyan package, 95 lakh people were provided employment.” he said.

Yogi also released a booklet highlighting the achievements of the BJP government.

Deputy Chief Ministers Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya and BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh also addressed the gathering.