The 70th Information and Public Relations Day, 2018 was observed at the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) at its new office complex at Keishampat in Imphal on Thursday.
Information and Public Relations Minister Thongam Biswajit and Director H Balkrisna of DIPR were the chief guest and functional president respectively of the observation which was attended by well wishers, media persons, staffs and retired staffs of the Department.
Speaking on the occasion Minister Biswajit who also holds various portfolios including Works and Rural Development said that the Government is trying to inform and educate its people about the welfare and development activities undertaken and enlist their participation through DIPR including far flung areas of the State.
Recognizing the importance of DIPR, Chief Minister has already gave approval for new recruitment of its staffs, he added.
In his speech, Director Balkrisna said informed that compact building of DIPR at Keishampat will see by the end of this year or in the beginning of the coming new year.
Recalling that he heard about the construction of DIPR new office at Keishampat when he was reporter in the Department in 1996, he said but the construction continues till he joined as a director six months ago this year.
Thus he started to work everything in mission mode. Former DIPR Director Meghachandra Kongbam also spoke on the occasion wherein the dignitaries inaugurated online e-magazine ‘Manipur Today’ and released the October issue of ’Manipur Today’ Magazine.
DIPR which is currently in a transitional phase as most of earlier staffs are already retired and 90 per cent of the employees are newly recruited had its origin on November 1, 1949 right after Manipur merged into Indian Union on October 15, 1949.
The office was upgraded to a Directorate in March, 1974 by the appointment of a director. The Directorate was expanded in 1975 with the opening of District Information Offices.