Mangalore, March 20: Dr. Vedavyas Srinivas Acharya, State Minister for Higher Education, has urged the media to be positive, factual and a catalyst for development.
He was addressing media persons at Press Club here on Sunday after presenting 'Pa Go Memorial Award 2010' to Laxmi Machina, a journalist with Udayavani daily, Belthangady.
The award, instituted by the Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists' Union (DKWJ), comes with Rs. 5,001 in cash, a citation and a memento.
Machina has been chosen for the award for his report titled “Baanjarumale Abhivruddi Kanasu Kadinalli Kayuttave Kanasugalu” published in the Kannada daily on August, 26, 2010.
Stating that media should always create positive vibes among readers, Dr Acharya said despite negativism prevailing everywhere, media should project the positive side of the issues. The concept of development needs to be changed. “We need to be developed in terms per capita, infrastructure and we have to compare ourselves with other developed countries,” he said.
Referring to UPCL controversy he said people resist the power projects like thermal power plant owing to temporary problems. But in reality, through power projects, India can achieve extensively, he said.
During the 70s the series of reports published about the problems of people in remote villages had opened the eyes of politicians, he said.
The minister also emphasized on the importance of free press, independent judiciary and clean and efficienct administration.
Receiving the award Laxmi Machina said journalists can write plenty of stories in the rural areas causing problems to the people. But the response of the officials concerned is important in such reports.
He also said the journalists should treat the problems of other people as their own. So that the depth of the problem faced by the people can be traced, he said.
The Founder President of P. Gopalakrishna Memorial Trust and Senior journalist Narasimha Rao, President of DKWJ Harsha, General Secretary Guruvappa Balepuni and others were present.
Anand Shetty delivered introductory speech. PB Harish compered the programme.
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