Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, today emphasized upon the formulation of a new advertisement policy for media and said he has already issued directions for broadening the scope of the existing policy.The Chief Minister said this while interacting with a delegation of J&K Press Association, in Srinagar this morning. Highlighting the need for making rational changes to the State’s Advertisement Policy, Mufti Sayeed said the revised framework will strictly implement the guidelines to empanel media outlets for Government advertisements and also the tariff on which the newspapers would be paid for printing the advertisements. The Chief Minister also passed directions for strict compliance of the Circular instructions of the Government for issuing all advertisements, including that of the Autonomous Institutions and PSUs, through the State Information Department. He asked the Administrative Department to ensure there is strict adherence to the Circular directions in letter and spirit. Giving an assurance that Urdu and Hindi newspapers will be provided a level-playing field under the revised advertisement policy, keeping in view its wide readership in rural and remote areas of the State, the Chief Minister said the Information Department will ensure that all government advertisements are properly translated into Urdu and Hindi so that the general masses get adequate information about the welfare policies and programmes of the Government. Highlighting the need to engage skilled professionals in State Information Department, Mufti Sayeed said the government is contemplating complete revamp of the department by giving preference to those who possess degrees in Mass Communication and Journalism, enabling the department to broaden the scope of its activities. Ghulam Hassan Kaloo, the President of the Association, also presented a memorandum to the Chief Minister highlighting their demands, which include setting up of a Press Club in Srinagar and issues pertaining to accreditation and enhancement of budgetary allocation under advertisement head.
