PCI advises Tripura government transparency regarding public money

New Delhi, Apr 3 (UNI) The Press Council of India (PCI) has directed the Tripura government to be impartial and transparent, while grading newspapers for advertisements.

The PCI also advised that authorities should not use public and distribute money at their whims and fancies, a release issued by the council here today.

The PCI directive came in the wake of complaints filed by the Editor and publisher of Tripura Observer, Agartala Arun Nath against Tripura government's Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism department alleging non-upgradation of his newspaper for the purpose of Government advertisements.

The Council said the Tripura government had drawn up a policy in 1998 to provide for upgradation of newspapers for the purposes of advertising and the same had been amended withdrawn in September 2004.

The complainant said his newspaper attained the status of A-1 category in terms of the advertisement policy of the state Government in the year 2001, as per the certificate issued by the Registrar of Newspaper of India (RNI) on November 13, 2002 but the respondents avoided the grant of the said A-1 category to his newspaper.

The council said Tripura Government was unable to explain its stance in not upgrading the Mr Nath's newspaper as per the provisions of the policy. The PCI added that as long the policy was in force. the government, as custodian of public money was mandated to utilise it equitably and fairly, the release added.

UNI