A Report on the State of Affairs in Chhattisgarh

Portfolio: Ministry Public Relations

Prepared By:
Minister: Akash Gupta
Secretary: Manu Samarth
Advisor: Akhilesh Kumar Verma
Last 10 years (2008 – 2018)

1. One of public relation department senior officials was allegedly caught on tape offering
money for sting operation against opposition Congress leaders in the poll-bound state.
2. The Election commission has directed that S Rajesh Toppo, secretary and commissioner
of public relations in the state government, be transferred from his present post "in
context of alleged statements made by him".Toppo was allegedly caught on tape asking a
journalist to film a video of Congress members abusing one of their senior leaders.
3. The official was purportedly heard saying that he is willing to spend some money for the
sting video.
4. Newly-appointed Public Relations Director Mr.Chandrakant Uike assumed office at the
Indrawati Bhawan -based Directorate.
Initiatives taken
1. A new mobile application and digital archive for accessing government related news and
photographs from the Public Relations Department was launched on 17th January’18 by
Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh.
2. The application can be downloaded from the google app store with the name of
Chhattisgarh DPR free of cost. Press releases and news photographs once browsed
through this software will remain available on the mobile set.
3. The application and digital archive is developed by the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion
Society (CHiPS) and the IT Department for mobile users having android operating
system. Giving details about the digital archive, director public relation, Rajat Kumar
said all photographs and videos of Government related programmes will be available
from 2004 onwards. Anyone can access it from www.digital.dprcg.gov.in.
4. The department also has web-page that gives information related to Chhattisgarh
government. It also gives lot of sources of information and collects information primarily
from government. However the website is available only in Hindi and had a poor design.
Vision (2018 – 2023)
Public Relation: - Relationship with the people and media.
As a Public Relation department’s motto says- “A strong relation between Government,
People and Press is pillar for a healthy Democracy”, we would abide by this motto and do
our best to keep the honor of our department. As a Public Department minister I would like
to give following vision for next 5 years:
1. Continuous interaction of Government and Public through online channels taking local
leaders into the picture to address the issues. The local leaders must be disinterested
towards all caste, creed and sections of the society.

2. After the implication of above process, we have to solve the problem. The problems can
be further directed to the concerned ministry and after they get a solution we must inform
for the status of the solution to the public.

3. For status update of the solution, an online portal can be created with the concerned person
be given a tracking number for his problem. This tracking number must be formed at the
point when we receive the problem from the person.

4. The tracking number must also be sent to the concerned Ministry.

5. Tracking number must be coded according to the Ministry involved, constituency of the
person and other relevant details which makes process simpler.

6. After the case has been closed the tracking number must be archived.

7. The government must also be transparent to the media body, this could be done by:
a. Creating a portal for sharing information to the press instead of journalist hovering
around the government officials.
b. Organizing regular press conferences.

8. As the problems from most of the public are less time taking they can be solved locally,
while bigger issues, issues which are problem for a general village/town/city can be
elevated to the top level of hierarchy can be solved by making a panel for them. I think this
will foster Public Relation in the upcoming years.

CC to the CMO: Versha Gupta