Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Information Department at the Civil Secretariat here.

The meeting assessed department’s performance and deliberated on matters requiring improvement to enhance efficiency and outreach of the Information department.

The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Secretary Information Rehana Batul, Director Information Jatin Kishore, senior officers from the administrative department, all Joint Directors, Deputy Directors, and other concerned officials. During the meeting, the Chief Minister inquired about the functioning of the single-window portal for granting film shooting permissions.

He emphasized the need to streamline and expedite the process, ensuring that filmmakers receive approvals without unnecessary delays. A detailed discussion was held on the advertisement policy for newspapers and media houses.

The Chief Minister directed the department to ensure fairness and transparency in issuing advertisements based on circulation.

He urged the department to avoid any impression of bias and to study Bureau of Outreach, Government of India (DAVP) criteria of advertisement rates and assessing newspaper circulation to evolve a robust mechanism for the purpose.

Stressing the importance of social media, the Chief Minister called for enhanced visibility of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir on digital platforms through targeted advertisements and campaigns.

Reviewing the accreditation process for journalists, the Chief Minister directed the department to revisit rejected applications.

He instructed the concerned officials to communicate discrepancies to applicants, enabling them to rectify errors and secure accreditation.

Highlighting the pressing issue of staff shortages, the Chief Minister urged the department to expedite the recruitment process for vacant positions.

He stressed that adequate manpower is crucial for the department’s efficiency.

The Chief Minister impressed upon the need to procure latest equipment and gadgets to improve coverage of official functions and events.

The Chief Minister emphasized the department’s crucial role in shaping public perception and ensuring effective communication of government initiatives.

He urged the officials to address challenges with urgency and commitment.

Earlier, Secretary Information Rehana Batul gave a detailed presentation on the department’s overview and functioning.

The presentation covered aspects such as human resource management, roles and responsibilities of staff, advertisement expenditure, empanelled newspapers, and the accreditation process for journalists.

The meeting was informed about several initiatives undertaken by the department, including Beats of J&K, Inspire Gen-Z, Youth Conclave; Successful hosting of J&K Film Conclave-2024 and implementation of J&K Film Policy-2024 The department’s media campaign for coverage of the G-20 Summit in Kashmir was also highlighted.

Discussions were held on the department’s budget and expenditure under REVEX and CAPEX heads, along with the proposed CAPEX for the financial year 2024-25.