CHAPER –III                                             VIEW IN HINDI

Publicity Programmes

           

                The   major   regular  themes  on  which   the   Units concentrate  are  national integration and  communal  harmony,  strengthening  of democracy and secularism, health and  family  welfare and  removal  of social evils such as  untouchability,  dowry, child-marriage,  alcoholism  and  drug-addiction.   The major topical themes are various aspects of Rural Development, AIDS, new economic policy and the revamped public distribution  system.   In  addition  to these new themes are added  on  the advice of  various  Ministries.   The  overall  socio-economic   development  is  the core theme with which all other  national themes and programmes are integrated with special emphasis on the National Common Minimum Programme of UPA Government.  The Field Units   project the cultural  heritage  of the country with  all  its  diversities and richness and help in developing the concept of  oneness of the nation with a sense of pride in our culture.

 

Programme Planning

 

              The  responsibility of publicising various themes lies  with the  Units  which  are mostly stationed at  the  District Hqrs.  with  their operational area clearly demarcated.   They chalk out  their  programmes  for   the  succeeding  month  in consultation  with the district level sister organisations  or  at the district  fora available for the purpose and submit the   same for  approval  of  their  Joint  Director  (Regions)  who  supervise  and  control the work of the field units  in  their  respective  regions.  While chalking out their programmes  the  Units not  only  keep  in mind the prescribed norms  for  each  activity  but  also ensure the balanced coverage of the  areas within their  operational  control, catering largely  for  the  benefit of  rural,  semi-urban and backward areas.  They  also determine  the  theme and thrust areas for a particular period of  their coverage  while  ensuring  at  the same time  that,  with  the multiplicity  of themes,   there is no diffusion of important basic themes of  the programmes. 

 

 

Following four points are kept in mind while chalking out the  programmes:

 

  (a) Identification of publicity themes and media of communication.

 

                (b)  Identification  of areas in relation  to  certain  priorities.

 

                (c)  Identification of target groups of audience, and

 

  (d)  Identification of the extent of co-operation  and coordination from official &     non-official   agencies.

 

Tours and rural coverage

               While  the  norms  for  activities of  the  Units  are  revised from  time to time keeping in view the requirements of various areas  and  handicaps,  the  Units are  by  and  large  required  to  be on tour for at least 10 days in a month  with  night halts,  ensuring  80%  of their coverage in a  month  in   rural, backward and semi-urban areas.  The Units  normally   move on tour  in two spells in each month keeping in view the  limitation of POL ceiling.

 

Film Shows

                The  Units  are equipped with  audio-visual  equipment  i.e. Portable Video Projectors, its accessories and a  generator  and carry an  adequate  number  of films  for screening in their field programmes. They have a package of  new documentaries  on some selected themes for screening,  keeping  in view their  audience as also the theme thrust, and in doing  so they endeavour  to combine education with entertainment  so that the  interest of the audience can be sustained. 

 

Display and Distribution of Print Material 

              At the program me site  where the film shows  are arranged, the print material which is supplied by DAVP and  other Government agencies on relevant themes,  is extensively  distributed.  While booklets, leaflets,  folders etc.  are  distributed,  posters are arranged to be pasted  at conspicuous places with the help of the Sarpanch or Pradhan or the staff of the local school. 

 

Song and Drama Programme 

               Apart  from  film programmes, the Unit also  organises Song and  Drama  Programmes which comprise  following  popular categories:  (a)  Drama, and (b)  Composite Programme (including music concert, ballet, folk dance, Qawali etc.)    In  addition the traditional cultural media like  folk song/folk  play,  Hari  Katha, Puppet  show,  Raslila,  Aalha, poetic symposia etc are also utilised by the field units with the help of Song & Drama Division.  

            

Relay of recorded tapes/cassettes

               Almost  all  the  Units have been provided  with  tape  recorders which they use effectively at the site of programme. The tapes  recorded  with  suitable   and  melodious  bhajans, patriotic  songs  and  skits are played and this,  apart  from  attracting the people to the programme site, helps building up  congenial  atmosphere for making people more responsive to the  main programme that follows which may be a film show or a song and drama  programme.   The  speeches of  national  leaders, freedom fighters  are also played through the tapes which  are   prepared  with the help of All India Radio or any other agency  having the stock voices of veteran freedom fighters.

 

Oral Communication Programmes

             One  of the most important mode of communication which is used by  the Field Publicity Unit is oral communication  or  inter-personal  communication.   Since  the Field  Units  come  face-to-face  with the people they have the advantage of using  this medium   for   communicating   various  messages.    Such programmes  have  the benefit of elasticity, as the  tone  and    temper of  the  message can be changed in accordance with  the   situation.   It  comes  handy  when other  media  may  not  be available  on any particular theme. 

           

                Oral  communication has an edge over other media.   It has the advantage of  two way communication that is  normally missing in  other media which can only put across the  message without knowing  how it is being received at the other end and what amends  are required to be made to make it more plausible and acceptable.

 

                The Field Units organise oral communication programmes through talks, group discussions, seminar & symposia, special programmes for different categories of audiences in the programmes.

 

 Coordination      


               The  functioning of the Field Units at the grass  root  level is  meaningful  if the Field Officers exert to make  his programmes  a  real success.  This is not possible if the  unit   works in  isolation.   In fact the success of  the  programmes  largely depends  upon  how  much the Field Officer  has  taken pains to  involve  local officials and non-official  agencies.  There are,  apart  from the official or  sister  organizations which engaged  in various activities for the betterment of the common man,  many non-official agencies who also contribute in their respective  areas of operation and these agencies can be  picked for  proper  coordination for organising programmes  or special campaigns   on  various   national  themes.   Efforts,  therefore, are made by Field Publicity Officer to keep in touch  with local  officers of various State government  Department  like Agriculture,   Planning,  Health   and  Family   Welfare, Prohibition  Department, Block Development Offices goes a long way in making  the programme meaningful.