Government proposes revamp of MHA media setup

The Union home ministry is planning to revamp its media setup, on the lines of defence ministry, for various security forces and organisations working under it and involved in rendering sensitive internal security duties.

The Union home ministry is planning to revamp its media setup, on the lines of defence ministry, for various security forces and organisations working under it and involved in rendering sensitive internal security duties.

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The new plan, on the recommendations of the Naresh Chandra task force on national security, envisages creation of "theatre specific" information dissemination offices of the various forces. They will be centralised at the Noth Block office of the additional director general (media) of the ministry of home affairs.

The proposal has been mooted in order to present a uniform opinion of the home ministry on internal security developments to the media and to ensure that no conflict of opinion occurs.

An official note circulated by the ADG (media) KS Dhatwalia to the media offices of forces like BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, NSG, SSB and Assam Rifles stated that a new "blueprint" for proposed set up for dissemination of information about central armed police forces through electronic, print and new media has been envisaged.

The media offices of these forces have been asked for their individual opinions on "integration" of the existing public relations setup of these forces at a "centralised" end.

The note also asked these forces to report problems faced by them in media related matters.

The ministry has also identified and proposed sector specific information officers for Left-wing extremism, secessionist activities, insurgency operations and disaster management.

In the case of the three armed forces, region-wise public relations offices across the country are operational, and are under the overall command of the ADG (media) in the defence ministry.

The ADG (media) is always a senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer and it is also proposed in the new mechanism to depute IIS officers in-charge of various operational theatres for supply on news and information to media.