PIB Chandigarh Organizes ‘Vartalap’ on Government Schemes in Jhajjar

PIB Chandigarh Organizes ‘Vartalap’ on Government Schemes in Jhajjar

‘Vartalap’ is a powerful medium for providing information about welfare schemes of the Union and State Governments : Varsha Khangwal, Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar

Effective implementation of schemes requires unity and a positive approach : Jag Niwas, ADC

Media should play an important role in taking government schemes and products of SHGs to the grassroots : Ravi Meena, SDM

Since 2017, 34,379 beneficiaries have availed the benefits of PM Matru Vandana Yojana: Neha Dahiya, DPO, Jhajjar

Jhajjar/Chandigarh 12 August ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Chandigarh, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, organized a media workshop ‘Vartalap’ on major and welfare schemes of the Union and State Governments in Jhajjar district of Haryana. On the occasion, Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar, Varsha Khangwal, inaugurated the Vartalap as the Chief Guest. Additional Deputy Commissioner Jag Niwas, SDM Ravi Meena, DIPRO Dinesh Kumar, District Programme Officer Neha Dahiya, SDO (Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department) Jagjit Singh Sangwan, Ashish Kadian from the District Forest Department and media representatives were also present. Addressing the programme, Deputy Commissioner Varsha Khangwal said that ‘Vartalap’ is an important medium of dialogue between the Government of India, State Government, district administration and the media. She said that programmes like ‘Vartalap’ are increasingly becoming a powerful medium for providing information about public welfare policies at the grassroots level. On the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner called upon media persons to disseminate information about government welfare schemes to the people so that the targeted beneficiaries can avail themselves of the benefits of these schemes, thereby ensuring their effective implementation.

She emphasized the important role of the media, particularly social media, in increasing awareness and strengthening public participation. Describing social media as both a challenge and an opportunity, she said that it provides a platform to highlight issues from remote areas, share information and present ground realities in a positive and constructive manner. At the same time, the spread of fake news and misinformation can create confusion and fear in society. She appealed to media representatives to verify any information through authentic and reliable sources before sharing it. The Deputy Commissioner also mentioned the active participation of Jhajjar district in ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’, ‘Desh Ke Naam Sandesh’ and the ‘Vande Mataram Abhiyan’ under the Independence Day celebrations. She informed that ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ vans are also being operated to cover different areas of the district. She appreciated the efforts of PIB Chandigarh in organizing Vartalap and establishing meaningful dialogue with media representatives and said that such programmes play an important role in establishing meaningful coordination between PIB, the State Department of Public Relations and journalists. On the occasion, Additional Deputy Commissioner Jag Niwas emphasized the importance of unity and collective efforts for the effective implementation of government schemes and said that information about public welfare schemes should be disseminated with a positive approach. He urged media representatives to take information related to public welfare schemes of the concerned departments to the people and highlight the problems faced by the public and cooperate in their resolution, so that the benefits of government schemes can effectively reach the people.

Expressing his views on rural development and women empowerment, SDM Jhajjar Ravi Meena said that media representatives should create greater awareness about the products being prepared by Self-Help Groups (SHGs), so that the demand for their products can increase in the market. He said that greater recognition and market access for SHG products would help in employment generation and economic empowerment of women. He also said that it is essential to take information about government schemes to the weaker and economically disadvantaged sections of society so that eligible beneficiaries can avail themselves of the benefits of these schemes. PIB Chandigarh’s Media and Communication Officer Ahmad Khan provided brief information about various organizations under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, such as PIB, Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), Press Registrar General of India (PRGI), Prasar Bharati, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Publications Division and Fact Check Unit. He said that ‘Vartalap’ provides an important platform for effective dissemination of information related to government schemes and initiatives, better coordination and dialogue. On the occasion, he also provided information about the Research Unit under the Press Information Bureau and stated that detailed information and accurate data regarding various public welfare schemes can be obtained from the analyses published on the PIB website, which journalists and others can use in their articles and news writing. District Programme Officer, Department of Women and Child Development, Neha Dahiya, provided information about various schemes related to the welfare of women and children. On the occasion, she gave detailed information about welfare schemes such as “Aapki Beti Hamari Beti Yojana”, “Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana” and “Mukhyamantri Matritva Sahayata Yojana”. She also informed that under the “Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana”, approximately 35,000 beneficiaries have availed themselves of the benefits of the scheme since 2017. She said that schemes related to women empowerment have brought significant improvement in the quality of life of women.

Jagjit Sangwan, SDO, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, provided information about various schemes being implemented with the objective of farmers’ welfare and promotion of sustainable agriculture. He elaborated on initiatives such as ‘Per Drop More Crop’, drip irrigation, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and organic farming under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), and highlighted their importance in increasing agricultural productivity and farmers’ income. He said that his department is also providing incentives to encourage farmers to cultivate crops requiring less water. Ashish Kadian from the District Forest Department provided information about initiatives related to environmental conservation, including ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ and biodiversity conservation. He informed that Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary located in Jhajjar district is a Ramsar Site recognized as a wetland of international importance. He further informed that under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, a target has been set to plant more than 3 lakh saplings in the district this year, with people from across the district participating enthusiastically. DIPRO Jhajjar Dinesh Kumar highlighted the role of the District Information and Public Relations Department. He urged media representatives to present information in a positive, balanced and responsible manner and also give due prominence to the development works and achievements being carried out by the district administration. At the conclusion of the programme, Ahmad Khan expressed gratitude to the Deputy Commissioner, district administration, experts from various departments and media representatives for their active participation and valuable suggestions.