The Directorate is receiving regular feedback on field activities from its 22 Regional Offices located mostly in State capitals in the form of Monthly Performance Report, detailing publicity activities conducted by the Field Units spread throughout the country. The programmes are conducted for generating awareness among the public on various issues of national importance and social implications. Generally, school and college students, village elders, panchayat leaders and opinion makers, health workers, social workers, women self help-group, rural and tribal women, socially and economically deprived classes are the target audience. The media un reached remote villages, tribal areas, hill terrain and naxalite & terrorist infested areas are the priority areas and DFP tries to reach there with informative communication system. The Directorate resorts to various modes of communication such as Film shows, Photo exhibitions, Song & Drama and other live entertainment programmes, various Competitions, Inter- Personal Communications like Group Discussions, Public Debates, Question Answer Sessions etc. to disseminate the messages. Some of the themes find regular mentioning in DFP's publicity campaigns are Health and Family Welfare, AIDS Awareness, NIDDCP, National Integration & Communal Harmony, Common Minimum Programme of the UPA Govt., Serval Welfare Schemes of the Govt. for the socially and physically disadvantaged people, SC/ST & Senior Citizens etc. Performance of the Directorate in this field during the month of July-2007 is given below:
S.N.
Programme Activities
Achievements
(July 2007)
Target
(July 2007)
1
Film Shows
3060
4963
2
Photo Exhibitions
2590
1863
3
Live entertainment
279
As per availability of S & D troupes at Unit level
4
Special Programmes
(Seminars/Symposia/Debates, Elocution/Essay/Quiz/Painting/Drawing/Slogan writing competition, Rural Sports/Rallies/ Baby Shows etc. )
578
621
5
Group Discussions
4028
4963
6
Success Stories
123
414
7
Public Reaction Reports
615
621
Justification for shortfalls in programme activities:
The Units in interior/border areas are operating in hazardous/inclement weather conditions with inadequate infrastructure. Some parts of North East and J & K are experiencing law and order problem on account of militancy, which badly affects the performance of units operating there.
Shortage of field staff and vehicles adversely affects the mobility and performance of the Units. At present there are only 96 Field Publicity Officers backed by insufficient supporting staff to man 207 Field Units. The acute shortage of FPOs, the backbone of field communication services, is seriously deteriorating the functional efficiency of the Directorate. The Directorate needs a minimum of 230 FPOs to carry out publicity programmes, matching the targets. As regards the vehicle position of the Directorate only 173 vehicles are roadworthy against its requirement of 231 vehicles for 207 FPUs + 22 Regional Offices + 2 staff cars at DFP Hqrs. Merger of several Units with adjoining Unit has widened the operational area of the existing units. This has also affected the performance of the Units. Non-availability of relevant software/publicity materials also adversely affects campaign activities. Client Ministries/Agencies are reluctant to supply the necessary software for dissemination of information on various issues.