INTRODUCTION:

            The Department of Information and Public Relations since its Inception in 1954 has passed through various stages and has done its best to equip itself with what was essentially required to meet the challenges of times and thus make its presence felt through the optimum use of its potential.    The main function of department is to disseminate the policies and programmes of the Government in the right perspective and to gauge and assess the reactions of the quarter concerned and keep informed the Govt.  about their impact amongst the masses.  Besides it also educate  the people about various programmes launched for the welfare of the people by the Centre and State Government from time to time.  This task is indeed a challenging one due to difficult terrain, remoteness of areas, and the inadequate reach of communication.   With the advancement and in the wake of day-today new addition of latest technology in the field of communication and Information this task has become all the more challenging.    The Department of Information and Public Relations keeping pace with the times has emerged as an substantially dependable organisation which can undoubtedly deliver the good and as such cope up with the growing publicity demands and can ensure the uninterrupted  flow of information to the beneficiaries of the State.  Although the publicity cannot be measured in terms of money and goods.  Yet the department continue to perform from behind the curtain without the least intention to come on the forefront  just to make other see the services it render. 

The Department of Information and Public Relations has adopted different strategies for different strata of society so that the objective we have assigned to ourselves could be achieved in true earnest.  For instance, the tools of publicity we generally use in the urban areas are different than that of the tools we use in the rural areas.  The people of urban areas  are comparatively  more educated, more aware about the happenings on regional, national and international  level because of the easy excess to the print and electronic media. Their dialogue with each other is more subtle, analytical and the opinion  they form  after a thorough scan of events taking place in the information to loaded world  is too   strong to waver whether it is in favour or against.

Whereas the people living in rural areas are more often than not guided or tutored by their collective unconscious (sanskars) stored at the back of their mind especially in the near absence of print and electronic media.  Apart from this, they also depend upon the teachers or any other official posted in the village to know what is happening beyond the periphery of their village.  That is how the ruralites form their opinion about the activities in vogue or being initiated for their welfare.  And the people living in still the remotest areas bank upon highly on the traditional media where the reach of print electronic media is a far cry.

This necessitated the department of Information and Public Relations to devise different strategies.    Accordingly it has done its best to equip itself with the kinds of publicity tools which suited this different strategies and thus realise the objectives it has set for itself and also contribute in the expected way. 

During the year 2005-2006, the Information and Public Relations Department functioned with full potential in fruitful way and ensured effective dissemination of policies and programmes of the Government down below to grass root level.

The Department regularly organise workshops for its officers from time to time. One such workshop was held on 29th October, 2005 in Suchna Avam Jan Sampark Bhawan. The faculities of this workshop were Dr.Jaishree Jethwaney, IIMC, New Delhi, Prof Vepa Rao, H.P. University and Miss Shalini Shetty, Media Consultant, New Delhi. The faculty gave detailed presentation on various topic such as Modern Approach in Social campaigning and its Planning and Execution, PR Strategy and Strategic Marketing.

OBJECTIVES

Public Relations to a great extent is a advocacy based on the intelligent use of media of communication to promote mutual understanding and to enable the public to have an informed opinion.  Mainly department works on following objectives:-

1.   To disseminate and ensure the flow of information to the public on the policies, programmes and developmental activities initiated for the people of the State at large.  At the same time assess reactions of the people, take the feedback from different quarters and apprise the Government about the same.

2.   To identify the sources from where the information emanates and arrange to gather such information. 

3.    To identify the targeted audiences to whom such messages and information must reach. 

4.   To initiate required and positive steps which could earn goodwill for the government.

5.   Action to safeguard the image of the Government and raise its level to  the expectations. 

6.   Internal Relationship.

7.    Explain the concept of a democratic government and its functions.

8.    To organise and coordinate the Public Relations activities of government in various sectors and at various levels. 

9.    Identify the factors, which necessitate the practice of public relations keeping in view the requirements of the Government.

10.  Understand the media and methods that are used for disseminating information and to equip the department with latest technology to keep abreast with the fast changing scenario of the media world and to take steps to maintain close liaison with the media and keep on feeding the media with developmental and constructive stories in order to fill in the blanks, generally seems to be covered with anti-stories, in the absence of such truly deserving stories.

                The Department of Information & Public Relations is one of the oldest Department of the Government. Importance of the Department can not be denied in the government function. To run the department smoothly there are well defined functional sections of the Department which are being manned by the professional like technical staff, photographer, videographer, artists, media professional and Public Relations Officers etc. The various sections at Directorate level co-ordinate technical, semi-technical and professional activities of the Department. (Organisation chart of the department is enclosed as Annexure-C) Brief details of the various sections along with their function is as follow:-
ESTABLISHMENT SECTION

1)           Creation of Posts.

2)           Recruitment/Promotion/Confirmation/Retirement of staff.

3)           Issue of seniority lists of Class-II, III & IV employees.

4)           Recruitment/ Promotion Rules of all categories.

5)           Pay fixation cases and  preparation of Pension cases.

6)           Disciplinary matters.

7)           Assembly/Parliamentary Questions.

8)           Training of officers/officials and Departmental examinations

9)           Reforms in Administration.

10)         Deputation/Secondment of employees.

11)         Meeting regarding Ministerial/ Field staff associations with the Secy.  I&PR &  Director.

12)          All kinds of meeting/Days/Weeks and Celebrations.

13)          All kinds of leave case of all categories.

14)          Maintenance of Attendance Register and casual leave Register.

ACCOUNTS SECTION
 

1)   Preparation of pay/arrear/DCRG/Leave in casement bills of all categories.

2)   Calculation of Income tax, Preparation of annual /Quartly returns.

3)   Processing of LIC, GIS and Inuxed group persona accident cases

4)   Preparation of T/TTA/Medical/Advance bills of all the Gazetted/ Non-Gazetted officers/Retirees.                                                                       

5)    Maintenance of PBR/GIS/Telephone/TA check/Budget and other recovery registers.

6)    Preparation all contingency bills including HE/RRT bills.

7)    Preparation of monthly expenditure statements.

8)    Processing of GPF withdrawal/ advance cases.

9)    Processing of loan and advance cases.

1)     Put up request letter received from Editors/Advertisement Manger for release of advertisement.

2)     Preparation of release order of display advertisement.

3)     Preparation of tender notice/notifications and issued to newspaper for publication.

4)     Preparation of advertisement bills.

5)     Maintenance of tender/Departmental Register.

6)     Maintenance of Display Register/DAVP/Commercial rates/Advertisement policy files.

7)     Release order to various Corporations/Boards

8)     Correspondence regarding assembly questions pertaining to advertisements.

1)     Correspondence regarding purchase and condemnation of Vehicles.

2)     Advance to meet out day to day needs.

3)     Correspondence regarding maintenance of Vehicles.

4)     Correspondence regarding construction & maintenance of office buildings.

5)     Rent cases of private building hired by the department.

6)     Purchase of furniture etc. for whole Department.

7)     Purchase & issue of Stationary articles for whole Department.

8)     Purchase of consumable and permanent articles.

9)     Purchase of K.Oil during winter session & maintenance of its register.

10)   Condemnation of permanent store articles.

1.   Purchase of Computers, Photostat machines, Fax machines, PA equipments and video display   equipments.

2.    Preparing Himachal Diary/ Documentary Films and soft stories on various  Subjects relating to development works.

3.    Maintenances of stock/ consumable article   Register.

4.    Installation of DTH system.

5.    Maintenance of TV studio.

1.    Publication of literature.

2.    Exhibition.

3.    Song & Drama.

4.    Hoarding.

5.    Prohibition, Accreditation and R&R.

1.   Preparation of Revised Budget Estimates for the current financial year and budget Estimates for the next financial year of all demands related to the department of Information and Public Relations, Himachal Pradesh.

2.    Allocation of budget as per the requirement/demand to the Directorate as well as to all the field offices.

3.    Maintenance of Scheme wise Budget Accounts.

4.    Consolidation of  monthly expenditure reports of all DDOs of the department.

5.    Monitoring of Expenditure by compiling the DDO wise expenditure.

6.    Correspondence regarding budget additionalities.

7.    Reconciliation of receipt and expenditure figures in AG Office with the reports received from all DDOs.

8.    Correspondence related to all Vidhan Sabha Committees.

9.    Preparation of budget speeches for His Excellency Governor, Himachal Pradesh and Hon’ble Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh.

10. Correspondence regarding Preparation of Gender Based Profile expenditure in budgetary documents.

11. Correspondence regarding economic measures.

12. Correspondence regarding Eleventh Finance Commission.

13. Annual Administrative Report related to Tribal Areas to be sent to His Excellency Governor.

14. Correspondence regarding Excess and Surrender.

15. Correspondence regarding Fiscal Responsibility Reform Management Act.

16. Preparation of Receipt Estimates for the next financial year.

1.   Preparation of Plan Proposals related to Demand No.30-General Miscellaneous Services/ Special Component Plan, 31-Tribal Development  for the next financial year.

2.   Sending quarterly reports and other informations which are mostly time bound to Planning, Tribal Development and Social Justice and Empowerment Departments.

3.   Correspondence regarding Special Component Plan.

4.   Correspondence regarding implementation of Constituency Development Fund Scheme.

PRESS PUBLICITY :

                   The main objective of press publicity is to ensure effective dissemination of information to the  masses through print media.
                   The “Fourth Pillar” of Democracy, the Print and Visual Media has gained an inevitable importance especially in this “Knowledge based World of Information and Satellite Communication”.  Today, exchange of information happens in the flick of a second.

Communicating Information on Government’s new announcements, news and activities with related graphics through e-mail to the print media and cassettes to the visual media, has become an important day to day activity of the department.  The Press Release Section works intensely in carrying out these tasks.  Information and Public Relations Department arranges Press Conferences, Press Parties for press coverage of VIPs and other important functions to highlight the developmental activities of the Government.
                    During the year under report as many as 9218 Press Notes based on VVIP’s functions, spot news and important meetings have been  issued in English and Hindi both to the press and maximum coverage to these were ensured in newspapers. Over 2572 Messages of His Excellency Governor,  Hon’ble Chief Minister, Ministers  and  others  were drafted  for release in publication such as  Souvenirs, Magazines. Besides, Articles on State’s perspective were released to the press for publication on important occasions and were got published in local, regional and national  newspapers and magazines.
                    For ensuring effective publicity and bringing efficiency, Press Section at the state headquarter, Press Liaison offices and District Public Relations Offices in the State have been provided with Computers The Press Notes are also being sent through E-mail and  feeding in official website.

PUBLICATIONS:
         The publication wing of the department through various kinds of publications, ensure that the policies and programmes initiated by the State Government, reaches maximum number of target group.
         The Publication Wing from time to time is bringing out publications such as folders, booklets, broachers and pamphlets, posters and calendar, regarding highlighting policies and programmes of the State Government which are distributed amongst the general public especially amongst the opinion makers for opinion building and wider publicity.  Besides the department is also bringing out Giriraj Weekly and Himprastha monthly magazine.
           During the year under report, the department brought out eleven booklets/folders highlighting the development and welfare programmes of the government.
         These folders/booklets were distributed amongst the masses and opinion makers by the field units of the department.

         The Departmental publication Giriraj Weekly and Himprastha Monthly were brought out regularly. The weekly contains news and views on all-round development of Himachal Pradesh besides articles and write ups on developmental, cultural and literary activities.  Efforts have been made to make these both these publications  more informative and attractive.
         During the year under report on an average 11,380 copies of Giriraj Weekly were published in each a week  and circulated amongst the readers. The concerted efforts were made to promote and popularise the Giriraj weekly to the remotest corner of the State.
        Himprastha, a monthly magazine with 1700 copies per issue is also being brought out by the Department. The magazine is mainly devoted to art, literature, culture and socio-economic aspects besides highlighting the Government policies and programs.
         These two publications  of the department are effective medium of publicity  and educating the people  especially in the far-flung areas of the Pradesh, as the reach of other newspapers in these areas is limited. Giriraj is one of the effective mode of publicising the policies and programmes of the Government.

ELECTRONIC NEWS GATHERING UNIT : (ENG)
       Main objective of this unit is to provide news clips and cassettes pertaining to developmental activities going in the state. A regular news real is also prepared by the department, to be telecasted through electronic media
      Electronic media has become one of the most powerful means of communication.  To keep abreast with the fast changing scenario in the communication world, the department has 72 Video Display Units in the field, which has been provided with colored TV and VCP for displaying film and documentaries on welfare and developmental schemes of the State.  Besides there is one ENG Section in which studio has been set up with Editing and other facilities.  The department is also producing programme called “Himachal Diary” which is being telecasted on Doordarshan, Delhi on Sundays.  Besides soft stories, developmental stories for displaying through Video Units and getting it telecast from Doordarshan and other Channels. These are being produced by Technical Wing.  The department is also producing documentaries films of other department of the State by taking nominal charges.
        Electronic News Gathering Unit  (ENG) of the department has been geared up  fully to ensure maximum coverage of Government policies, programmes and other aspects in electronic media.  This unit arranged 917 video coverage of various  functions and meetings of VVIP’s including His Excellency Governor, Hon’ble Chief Minister and other Hon’ble Ministers and  were  got telecast from Doordarshan Kendra, Shimla other electronic channels including local cables. This unit has prepared 52 soft stories on developmental, cultural and other aspects which were also got telecast from Doordarshan and other electronic channels.  Besides, 28 episodes of Himachal Diary of 15 minutes duration each were also prepared which were telecast from Doordarshan Kendra, Delhi on the National Channel.
Video news reels highlighting the government policies and programs  were also got screened through the department Video Display Units spread all over the state.
The ENG Unit also covered  three sessions of Vidhan Sabha and edited copies of the Vidhan Sabha proceedings were sent to  Doordarshan Kendra  Shimla for telecast. The local channel were also given the footage of Vidhan Sabha proceedings by the department for telecast.
The Department has prepared one film on the completion of three years of the Govt. and  three short films of the Agriculture Department, Animal Husbandry Department and Fisheries Department.
DEPARTMENTAL WEBSITE:
          The Department has developed a web portal www.himachalpr.gov.in. The website has database facilities. The web site is updated at least 5 times daily for press releases/news photographs etc. The website has archive of all development features issued by the department. The site also comprises the profile of the State Govt. Recently department has started news clipping service in the site and now all the important news related to Himachal Pradesh are being made available in this website. The website has link for every website of the state govt. making it much comprehensive as for as browsing information regarding state government and its various departments/corporations is concerned. The department proposes to make it more user-friendly and comprehensive.

FEATURE SERVICE:
This service aims at providing developmental write up and success stories for both print and electronic media.
            As many as 52 features on various aspects have been issued from the state headquarter and 401 from the distts headquarters under Feature Service of the Department during the year. These features got wide publicity in local, regional and national newspapers.

PRESS CONFERENCES:
           The Department arranged 528 Press Conferences and Press briefings of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Ministers and other important dignitaries during the year within and outside the state. (Annexure-B)

PUBLIC ADDRESS SERVICES:
            As many as 5250 Public Address Services (PA Services) were  given   during VVIP/VIPs  functions  and  on other  important occasions at State, district, sub-division/block and field  level. (Annexure-B) 

T.V. AND D.R. SETS:
             The department has installed 498 Community TV sets in the different parts of the State. Besides this 279 Direct Reception sets are installed in such areas where Doordarshan signals are not visible. The department is maintaining these  TV/DR sets installed in the field during the year 2005-2006. The efforts are being made to switch over from DR Sets  to D.T.H Services launched by the Prasar Bharati to keep pace with the time for ensuring reach of Doordarshan in these areas. 

PUBLICITY THROUGH SONGS AND DRAMA:
            The Song and Drama unit, through inter personal communication helps in disseminating policies and programmes of the state government through traditional mode of communication. The Department has four Drama Units, one at  State level  and one each at Shimla and Dharamshala  besides one unit for tribal areas stationed at Kullu. All these Drama Units organised 1385 drama shows and performances in different parts of the State during the year. These performances were based on the  programmes launched by the Government for the betterment and welfare of the people and various other programmes aimed at the betterment of the Society. (Annexure-B)
              Besides, the department has taken initiative to engage the artists on casual basis for publicity purposes. All the District Public Relations Offices have registered cultural troupes in their districts for organising performances in their areas. 

ADVERTISEMENT WING:
This wing of the department aims is releasing and preparing display/classified advertisements to be issued in print media pertaining to on going schemes and government achievements.

All the advertisements of Government of Himachal Pradesh are issued through Information and Public Relations Department and released to newspapers and periodicals. Advertisements of all Government Departments, various corporations, boards and institutions are released through this department.  Advertisements are released to newspapers after considering the importance and reach of the advertisement and the target group to which it is aimed at.  In order to encourage the small and medium scale newspapers, the advertisements are also released in such newspapers.

The centralization of the advertisements has provided fruitful results to the State Government because all the advertisements are released through PR Department and has resulted in saving of Lacs of rupees as Department is issuing advertisements on DAVP or State Government rates.  In addition to it the advertisement wing is also looking to the space management of various advertisements including classified/display, so that it may not cause any loss to the Government exchequer.  It also issues the advertisements according to the need and requirement of the State Government, so that it helps in yielding good results.

                        The Information and Public Relations Department is working as nodal department for release of advertisements in respect of all the Departments/boards and corporations of the state for display advertisements. As many as 4783 classified advertisements and  835 display  advertisements were released  to different newspapers and periodicals for publication during the year 2005-2006. In order to bring down the expenditure on advertisements, the Department has enforced Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP)  rates on all classified and display advertisements released through the Department thereby saving lacs of rupees.

EXHIBITION UNIT:
           Government Exhibitions are organised by the Exhibition wing  of the Information and Public Relations Department to educate people on various achievements, welfare schemes and policies of the Government of Himachal Pradesh.  Exhibitions are being organized during the State level fairs and festivals to educate the people about the developmental activities especially amongst the rural people. 

The Exhibition Unit of the Department organised six  exhibitions on important fairs and festivals besides about a dozen exhibitions in the field  during the year highlighting the policies and programmes of the State Government. Besides 28 big hoardings two in each distt have also been installed.

PHOTO SECTION :
            Photos relating to success stories and other programme activities be collected from the fields and photo library maintained.  These photos are use after as and when required.  Photos are used in exhibition also.

Photo section of the department ensured coverage of  813 functions of VVIPs/VIPs and other events and released these to the press at State headquarter, Distt headquarter, Sub-Divisional level and also through Press Liaison Offices based at Delhi, Jallandhar,  Chandigah and Zonal Office, Dharamshala. The photographs were also transmitted through E-Mail to the newspapers besides feeding in Department’s Website to the newspapers.

ART SECTION:

          The services of Art Section were utilized for  preparation of designs for publication and the exhibition unit for preparing panel boards, posters, charts, designs for installation of exhibitions during various fairs, festivals and on other important occasions. The  Art  Section  prepared  960   designs  including  Kangra Painting, Line Sketch, covers for Booklets and for Himprastha (Monthly) and Giriraj (Weekly) and T.V. Captions for ENG Unit from time to time. Art Section also designed advertisements on different occasions besides preparing designs for publication and prohibition campaign. The sketches and cover pages for Giriraj and Himprastha were also got designed from this section.

INFORMATION CENTERS:

The State Information Center at the Mall Shimla was run in a befitting manner to cater to the visitors and readers who visit in large number daily by providing them information about the State and also policies and programmes of the Govt. In all the District Headquarters are Information Centers are being run by the Department. 

PROHIBITION CAMPAIGN:
           This Department arranged 863 street plays, 171 ‘Nasha Nivaran’ rallies, 374 declamation contests and painting competitions, 4300 Video shows, 223 slogan writing competitions, 162 Mahila Mandal/ Yuvak Mandal workshops, 5879 Nasha Nivaran Programmes and group discussions under ‘Nasha Nivaran’ campaign during the year  2005-2006. Besides this, 27  new hoardings depicting ‘Nasha Nivaran’ slogans have been installed in different places of the State during the period. A folder on ‘Nasha Nivaran’ stickers and appeal to refrain from addiction were published and circulated among the masses.(Annexure-B)
            Many of the functions of the department can not be specified as they relate to reaching out the public with Government policies and plans. This function is performed by coordinating various wings of the department as described in previous paras. Sometimes, it become difficult to quantify targets for the department as human behaviour can not be in a simple statement. However for the first time efforts have been made to quantify targets and objectives for various wings of the Department. It will be our endeavour to achieve these targets as a team from a village level to State capital level.