After Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat', Jharkhand CM to start his own radio address

New Delhi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das is likely to start a radio address on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ — an idea which is expected to be emulated by other states as well.

The idea of a ‘CM Ki Baat’ was discussed during a recent meeting of Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu with Das in Ranchi.

It is learnt that an MoU will be signed between the Jharkhand government, the All India Radio and Doordarshan for the programme.

“The Mann ki Baat concept has attracted some state governments who have started thinking of having their own programmes on the same lines,” an official said.

Like the Prime Minister Modi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh also addresses people through radio.

During the meeting with Das, Naidu also approved a 24X7 satellite Doordarshan channel for Jharkhand, the proposal for which was pending for about four years.

With the BJP government completing three years in office, Naidu’s visit to Jharkhand was part of his plans to visit all the states to highlight the policies and achievements of the government.

Besides Jharkhand, the minister has already visited a number of states, including Assam, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

He also plans to visit Rajasthan on Tuesday and thereafter Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

He said the Union minister emphasises on time-bound implementation of schemes like the launch of a new Doordarshan channel dedicated to the North-East region in August, and inauguration of a permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) at Aizwal in March next year.

For the time-bound implementation of schemes, a day before the minister reaches the state, the officials from the Centre and the state government discusses various communication issues and then raises them with Naidu.

“This helps in speedy solutions to the problems.

Sometimes instant solution is also arrived for the long pending issues like channel for Jharkhand,” the official said.

The action taken report on various plans will be placed before the ‘State Information Ministers’ Conference’ later this year, the official said.

“Such meetings are helping the state governments to understand the Centre’s priorities. On the other hand, the need of the states is also understood by the Centre,” the official said.

Naidu, who also holds the portfolios of Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, also reviews the implementation of various schemes related to these ministries during the visit.