Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 197/21

SCHEME FOR TAGORE NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP FOR CULTURAL RESEARCH FOR THE YEAR 2019-2020

The Ministry of Culture, Government of India invites nominations/applications for the award of Fellowships and Scholarships in the Scheme component of Tagore National Fellowship for Cultural Research (TNFCR) under the Scheme of Scholarship and Fellowship for Promotion of Art and Culture. The Scheme is open to both Indian and foreign nationals.

The scheme has two categories of Awards – ‘Tagore National Fellows’ and ‘Tagore Research Scholars’. Under the first category, selected candidates will be paid an honorarium of Rs. 80,000/-per month and allowances. Upto 15 awards are given in a year in this category. The selected candidates of the second category will be paid an honorarium of Rs. 50,000/- per month and allowances. Under this category, upto 25 awards are given in a year.

Candidates may submit their application, prepared according to the prescribed guidelines of the Scheme to any of the Nodal Institutions of his/her choice depending upon the area of research proposed to be undertaken. List of nodal institutions along with other relevant details of the Scheme and application form are available on the website of the Ministry – www.indiaculture.nic.in and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library – www.nehrumemorial.nic.in under the Scheme Head of the website.

Applications should be sent directly to the respective Nodal Institutions on or before 30th July, 2021 (upto 5:30 PM). The applicants are not required to send a copy of their application to the Ministry of Culture or Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML). Applications received after the prescribed date and time will be summarily rejected.

Press Release No. 202/21

SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME WITH THE MEDIA ON COVID-19 HELD ON 15TH JULY 2021

The Directorate of Information and Public Relations in collaboration with the Health Department, Government of Meghalaya organized a One day Sensitization Programme with members of the Press Fraternity on COVID-19 on the 15th July 2021 at Anton Hall, Laitumkhrah. The meeting was attended by Editors, Producers, Journalists, Correspondents etc., from various Media houses of the state along with Officers from the Health Department and the Directorate of Information and Public Relations.

Addressing the participants, Smt. M. War Nongbri, IAS, Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Information and Public Relations Department, highlighted the various awareness initiatives undertaken by the Government through the State COVID-19 Communication Coordination Unit in informing and educating the public on different aspects relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. She further informed the gathering that the main objective of the programme was to discuss and deliberate on the different ways and means how the Government and the Press fraternity could work together for effective and accurate dissemination of information to the public. Besides expressing her gratitude to the Press Fraternity for their selfless and untiring work which they have rendered during the COVID-19 situation, including the previous year, she solicited for their continued and consistent support to the Government to further strengthen its efforts in effectively spreading important information and messages to the public.

During the interactive session, members of the Press Fraternity highlighted various pertinent issues involving the Media in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Matters relating to Combating the spread of Fake News and Misinformation particularly with regards to the Vaccination Campaign was discussed at length, where the Secretary stressed on the roles and the responsibilities of the Media in publishing correct and accurate information while reporting or covering news/events related to COVID-19. She implored the members present to actively coordinate with the Government in promoting the Vaccination campaign so that the State can achieve the target of the total number of persons required to be inoculated. “Only by achieving this target, that we as a state and its citizens can return back to normalcy.” she stated.

The interactive Session also saw the Media fraternity raising several issues relating to Health infrastructure, Awareness level of the public, Data and Statistics on COVID-19, Queries on COVID-19, Vaccine Hesitancy among others, which were clarified by Doctors from the Health Department.

Earlier in the programme, a presentation on the current COVID-19 situation of the state was presented by doctors from the Health Department. Others who spoke during the programme were Shri. B. S. Sohliya, MCS, Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr. A. Dkhar, Surgeon Superintendent, Shillong Civil Hospital, Dr. F V Kharshiing, Joint Director DHS MI, Dr. P Manners, Joint Director DHS MCH cum State Immunisation Officer, Dr. B. Decruse, Nodal Officer IEC Covid-19 and Shri. R. Nongkhlaw, Deputy Director, DIPR, Shillong.