State govt's policies, programmes to prioritise press freedom: State 3 cm Poudel

Hetauda–State 3 chief minister Dormani Poudel said the state government's upcoming policies and programmes would prioritise press freedom and proportional development of journalism.

The government would not pass the Media Council Bill that contradicts the new constitution, he said while inaugurating an interaction with the theme of 'role of state government in the promotion of mass communication' organised here at the office of the ministry of internal affairs and law and press registrar.

He viewed that journalists could guide the government through a healthy criticism while sticking to journalists' code of conduct and help control corruption.

On the occasion, minister for internal affairs and law Shalikram Jamarkattel said the state government would prepare its policies and programmes for the coming fiscal year of 2019/20 that would help develop journalism.

Likewise, press registrar Rewati Prasad Sapkota said the state government has an action plan to develop journalism institutionally and provide subsidy to electronic, print and online news media.

Around 50 people including office bearers of the branches of 13 districts of the Federation of Nepali Journalists took part in the event.