Minister for Cooperation; Labour, Employment & Skill Development; and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, Shri Methodius Dkhar today called for a stronger partnership between the media and administration to improve awareness, counter misinformation and ensure that the benefits of government schemes reach the last mile and the intended beneficiaries.
Addressing the PIB Varta – Media Sensitisation Workshop on Centrally Sponsored Schemes, organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Shillong, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, in association with the District Administration, West Khasi Hills District, at the DC Conference Hall, Nongstoin, the Minister stressed the need for greater grassroots outreach and credible dissemination of information on government initiatives.
The workshop brought together media representatives, social media influencers of the district, district officials and grassroots stakeholders with the objective of strengthening media-administration coordination, enhancing awareness of Central and State Government schemes, and bringing development initiatives and stories from the remote areas of West Khasi Hills to wider public attention.
Addressing the workshop, Shri Methodius Dkhar appreciated PIB Shillong and the District Administration, West Khasi Hills, for organising the programme. He said the workshop provided an important platform to discuss various initiatives of the Central and State Governments and ways to ensure that their benefits reach genuine and deserving beneficiaries.
The Minister emphasised that both the administration and the media have an important role to play in ensuring the effective implementation and dissemination of government schemes. He urged departmental officials to continue their efforts despite challenges such as low turnout at awareness programmes and called for greater outreach at the grassroots level.
Highlighting the development potential of West Khasi Hills, Shri Dkhar identified tourism, agriculture, horticulture and sericulture as sectors with immense potential. He said the district possesses fertile soil, favourable climatic conditions, abundant natural resources, scenic landscapes and water bodies that can contribute significantly to the State’s economy.
He also noted that improved road connectivity would help boost agriculture and tourism, facilitate movement of people and produce, and create new economic opportunities for local communities.
The Minister stressed the importance of ensuring that welfare schemes reach the right beneficiaries. Referring to the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), he highlighted the need for proper beneficiary identification and effective communication so that eligible people are able to access the benefits available to them.
Shri Dkhar also called upon mainstream media to play a stronger role in countering misinformation circulating on social media by providing verified information, factual context and appropriate clarification to the public.
Smt Hema Nayak, Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills District, said the workshop was conceived with the objective of bridging the gap in mainstream media representation of interesting stories emerging from the remote villages of the district.
She said that bringing media representatives and village-level stakeholders together at the district headquarters would help identify stories related to government projects, development activities and individuals whose achievements and experiences often remain underrepresented.
The Deputy Commissioner highlighted the need for stronger interaction between the administration, media and local communities to bring grassroots development stories to wider audiences.
A technical session on “Regional Journalism and the Last Mile: Taking Development Stories from the Ground to the People” was delivered by Ms Princess Giri Rashir, journalist and media professional associated with EastMojo.
Speaking during the session, Ms Rashir highlighted the evolving role of journalism in the digital age, noting that people increasingly receive news and information through social media platforms and mobile phones. She emphasised that credible regional journalism is essential for verifying information, establishing facts and providing the larger context behind viral content.
Ms Rashir stressed that journalists must go beyond official announcements and examine whether government schemes are actually reaching the intended beneficiaries. Referring to her reporting on Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, she said responsible journalism requires examination of relevant documents, understanding scheme guidelines, speaking to multiple stakeholders and seeking responses from the concerned authorities before publication.
She said departments could make greater use of media platforms to explain challenges, corrective measures and the role of communities in improving outcomes.
Highlighting the growing role of citizen journalism and digital content creators, Ms Rashir said they can play an important role in bringing grassroots issues to public attention. At the same time, she emphasised that information shared through such platforms must be properly verified before being amplified.
Officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, PWD (Roads), Public Health Engineering (PHE), Soil & Water Conservation, Tourism, Fisheries and DRDA shared information on various government programmes, schemes and development initiatives being implemented in the district.
The presentations provided media representatives with an overview of the objectives, implementation mechanisms and benefits of various schemes and initiatives, while also facilitating greater understanding of the challenges faced in delivering these programmes at the grassroots level.
The workshop concluded with an interactive discussion involving media representatives, departmental officials and the district administration. Discussions focused on strengthening last-mile communication, addressing implementation challenges, improving public awareness of government schemes and ensuring that development stories from remote areas receive greater media visibility.
