Rural issues deserve greater focus: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday said the media’s contribution to development of society is immense and that news outlets should give greater coverage to issues of rural areas. He was addressing the gathering on the occasion of 18th anniversary celebrations of the Chandigarh regional edition of the Hindustan Times here.

Saying that even in rural and far-flung areas of Himachal the readership of HT is growing fast, Thakur, who heads a BJP regime in the hill state, underlined that the press is the fourth pillar of democracy: “For a strong and vibrant democracy, it is vital to have a free and fearless press.”

He added that HT in its 18 years here has created a special place in the hearts of the readers. He said the newspaper, due to its fearless and fair reporting, has emerged as a role model of professionalism.

He also praised that HT provided a platform for the three neighbouring states (Himachal, Haryana and Punjab) to mull over issues of mutual interest.

Talking about the 18th anniversary, he said the Chandigarh HT edition has reached adulthood; “with this, HT’s responsibilities too have increased manifold”. “In the present era of cutthroat competition,” he said, “the newspaper has not only survived but has emerged as a pioneer in many fields.”