Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary on Monday finalizes modalities for establishment of Press Club during an interaction with the journalists of Bandipora district.The meeting was attended by District Information Officer Jahangir Akhoon, journalists from Bandipora district and other officials of the administration.Dr Choudhary said the Press club will be a great platform for transparent governance and knowledge exchange. He said the government will provide much needed space for media persons to come together, discuss and debate, analyse and build discourses.He said the press club will be equipped with all the modern amenities and state of the art infrastructure including a conference hall, library, IT cell, meeting rooms, Press conference rooms and pantry.
He said it will serve multifarious roles including welfare of members from print and electronic media, critical evaluation of developmental initiatives, public outreach and participation, Information-Education-Communication chain, awareness of stakeholders and others apart from providing a platform to socio-political organizations for exchange of ideas towards a developed and awakened society in the district.He said the club will be a self-financing institution serviced by District Administration through information department and apart from the independent elected body of the club members. He said the government will also provide an annual grant of Rs 5 lakh for capacity building.On the occasion a five-member committee of journalists was constituted that will suggest the requisite infrastructure to be placed in the club so that work can be started at earliest.The members includeEjaz-ul-haq Bhat of Greater Kashmir, Mohammad Sayeed Beigh from News 18 Urdu, Aijaz Nazki from EtvBharat, Anayat Akbar from Times Now and Bhat Zahoor from Gulistan Tv.