GUWAHATI, April 25 � The north-eastern region is soon going to have separate satellite channels, Member of Parliament Bijoya Chakravarty said at the Association of Doordarshan Programme Production Personnel (ADP3)�s two-day fourth national convention held at Shilpgram here today.
Speaking as chief guest on the occasion, Chakravarty said she understood the difficult working conditions of the programme cadres of Doordarshan as her daughter herself is a filmmaker. She added that Doordarshan job programmer engagements required a creative nature and one should have the appropriate mental make-up to do a good programme.
While referring to the promotional hurdles of DD Programme staff who have been working without a promotion for nearly 30 years, the MP questioned how anyone could be at peace without a promotion. She assured the house that she would personally talk to the Union minister concerned and support the staff to achieve their legitimate
demands. She appreciated the DD staff for shouldering the social responsibility in educating and informing the general public about government schemes.
Chakravarty said that several DD satellite channels were coming up exclusively for the North-east.
Guest of honour and Director General of Doordarshan C Lalrosanga, who also hails from the North-east, said DD was all set to launch separate exclusive satellite channels very soon. He further said that DD was putting in every effort to produce better quality programmes for its viewers. In spite of several channels emerging in recent times, DD had been able to retain its identity for its good content and authentic news, he added.
While referring to the earnings of DD and All India Radio (AIR) during the last financial year, Lalrosanga said it earned Rs 1,000 crore and the expenditure was only Rs 800 crore, resulting in a saving of Rs 200 crore for the organisation.
Acknowledging that several problems of DD Programme staff had remained unaddressed for a long time, Lalrosanga said that as per the directives of courts, promotional matters were taken up on a priority basis and that long-pending problems would be resolved soon.
The Association of Doordarshan Programme Production Personnel is an association working for the welfare of its programme staff for the last one decade.
ADP3 president Umesh Mishra presented a welcome note, narrating the activities to the gathering. The other speakers present on the occasion were Ranen Goswami, senior journalist, Chandan Kumar Goswami, HoD of Mass Communication, Gauhati University, and writer Bandita Phukan.
