Kathmandu, February 13

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said today that development activities could be executed more effectively, if the media focused on the quality of news content rather than on the quantity of news. He stressed that the media should convey information which are of human interest, and generate the sense of social responsibility.

Speaking on the occasion of the ‘Sixth World Radio Day, National Community Radio Conference’, organised by the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, Nepal, the Prime Minister said that media has been playing an active role in the implementation of law and policy among people.

The Prime Minister said, “We have been trying to conduct the elections within the pre-determined date as far as possible. The major concern of this election is to provide the legislative, executive, and judiciary rights to local agencies such as municipalities and VDCs. The objective of providing these rights to all public can be possible with the help of media.”

Requesting all the media to work with an integrated approach, he said, “The media should contribute in maintaining togetherness and harmony among all the people from rural and urban areas, among people from culturally and socially different communities, and among ideologically and politically different leaders.”

Prime Minister Dahal also claimed that the upcoming election would provide equal rights to the people.

Along with celebration of World Radio Day, ACORAB also distributed 50 radio sets to the Musahar community of Bardibas.

Manjaya Dashi, representative of the community and the only educated person of this valley said that Musahar is a socially and culturally backward community of the country.

The community does not have access to education, communication and other facilities.

Dashi said, “I’m very happy to reach the capital city for the first time. Even though I am the only educated person in the community, I have seen the capital for the first time but my community people have no idea of the existence of other cities in the nation due to lack of literacy.”

“Due to the lack of adequate information and education, the Musahar community has become socially backward. The government should therefore focus not only on the capital but also on the community, especially with regard to education so that people can be active in economic and other sectors.”

Speaking on the importance of Radio Day, Khila Bahadur Bhandari vice president of Federation of Nepali Journalists said that in the 21st century, radio has been playing an important role in the country.

“Especially during the earthquake, the radio provided detailed information of the destruction the earthquakes caused and the condition of villages. The radio has become a tool for linking the government and the public from the beginning of democracy in the country.”