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Be proud of our heritage, break free from mindset of slavery: Anurag Thakur
Urging citizens of the country to break away from a “mindset of slavery”, Union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur unveiled the government’s calender for the year 2023 while highlighting the Centre’s achievements at the National Media Centre in Delhi on Wednesday.
Urging citizens of the country to break away from a “mindset of slavery”, Union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur unveiled the government’s calender for the year 2023 while highlighting the Centre’s achievements at the National Media Centre in Delhi on Wednesday.
“This calender is not just a collection of pictures and a document showing various dates but it is a medium to take a look into the provisions in the past and the fulfilment of the achievements of the upcoming future. When we hang it up on our walls, it will remind us of our duties to this country,” said Thakur while unveiling the calendar.
Referring to the “Panch Pran” targets introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thakur said, “The calendar is about the achievements of the government and the resolve set for the future. The calendar will lay down the roles a citizen has to play for a developed India and we should be proud of our rich and cultural heritage. At the same time, we should be free from the mindset of slavery.”
Thakur noted that the calendar, with the theme ‘New Year, New Resolution’, was launched in a physical format after a gap of two years in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2023 calendar will be available in both the digital and physical formats, the I&B minister noted.
“The calendar won’t just inform us of dates and holidays but would serve as an impactful medium to inform us of the social welfare activities of the country. The calendar would also serve as a reminder for important dates within government offices and would inspire our government workers to function diligently to ensure provisions for the citizens of the country,” he said.
Thakur noted that 1.1 million copies of the calendar will be printed and distributed to government functionaries across the country such as panchayats, block-level offices, and collector offices, among others. Copies of the calendar will be distributed in panchayats of each state in local languages along with distribution in Navodya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas.
The calendar features dedicated welfare causes through every month of 2023 such as farmer welfare for the month of February and educated India for April. The month of May will see a focus on Skill India and Fit India will be the key thrust area in June.
Thakur also highlighted the efforts undertaken by the government to bolster the communication and media industries in India. The minister brought up the consultations sought with the film industry on proposed amendments to the Cinematograph Act and the organisation of the International Film Festival at Goa in November.
“Through the Patrakar Kalyan Yojana, in five years, 290 journalists or their families have been provided with ₹13.12 crore. The Fact Check unit which was started by the Press Information Bureau was immensely useful during Covid-19 to combat the infodemic that dominated the pandemic,” Thakur said in his address.
The I&B minister also referred to the long-standing demand of the radio industry to remove the 15% national cap on channel holding being addressed. “The long-pending demand has been fulfilled by us in 2022 so that there can be a greater focus on the ease of doing business, the ease of compliance, and the ease of living,” Thakur said.
