JAMMU: “Make Radio the medium to reach out to the people living in remotest parts of the country for making them aware regarding various schemes and programmes of the government”, this was stressed by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Regions, Prime Minister’s Office , Personnel, Public grievances and Pensions, Deptt. of Atomic Energy and Department of Space.
The minister said this after inaugurating the 300 KW DRM high power Transmitter for Radio Kashmir Jammu here on Tuesday.
Member Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma was also present on the occasion.
Terming radio an effective medium to reach out to the people in interiors Dr Singh said that Union government has taken various steps to revive the Radio and “Mann Ki Baat” by the Prime Minister on radio is a major initiative to reach out to the people in the remotest and far flung areas of the country. He said that radio has a wide outreach than television and it helps to communicate with people who do not have an access to television and cannot read.
Highlighting the historical background of the Radio Kashmir Jammu Dr. Jitendra said that very few people know that in J and K first Radio station was established on 1st December 1947 with 1KW Collin Transmitter and one locally treated studio at Ranbir High School Kacchi Chawni. Programmes prepared in Dogri were transmitted and Yuv Vani service was introduced in 1975 for youth in Jammu.
Director General All India Radio, Fayyaz Sheheryar in his welcome address said that in Jammu and Kashmir there are 24 AIR stations having 38 transmitters which provide radio coverage to 99 per cent population of the state and reach 51 per cent of the area. He also informed about the 300 KW DRM Transmitter and said that Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) which is a trade mark of DRM consortium was originally developed in Europe and this transmitter has a capability to broadcast in conventional AM mode as well as in digital broadcast mode.
This Transmitter will cover about 90-100 Km radius around Jammu and cater programmes based on entertainment, education, news etc, he added.
On the occasion a Dogri musical programme was also presented by the renowned artists which was highly appreciated by the audience.
Senior officers of Radio K Kashmir Jammu and prominent citizens were present on the occasion.