Ministry to take up family welfare on AIR

With 40 primary channels, 40 commercial broadcasting stations, 36 kendras of All India Radio involved and a budget of about Rs 10 crore, rad...

With 40 primary channels, 40 commercial broadcasting stations, 36 kendras of All India Radio involved and a budget of about Rs 10 crore, radio still is the most favoured medium of mass communication for the Health Ministry.

While the Family Welfare Department is already sponsoring a 15-minute programme, Khushiyon Bhara Aangan, aired in 19 languages from 40 Commercial Broadcasting Service and 38 primary channels for about five years now, two more programmes are in the offing. The ministry plans to sponsor two music programmes of 30 minutes each where the anchor will speak about family welfare and child and mother health between songs.

‘‘In a country like ours, where the literacy rate and poverty are major concerns,TV and newspaper as mass media have their limitations. Radio reaches everywhere, so it is the best means of creating awareness,’’ said a ministry official.

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According to him, this medium caters to the population that the reproductive and child health messages are aimed at. The first programme, Lok Jhankar, is to be broadcast in the eight Empowered Action Group States (BIMARU), Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, Uttaranchal, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Based on the folk music of these states, the programme would be broadcast every Sunday morning and Thursday evening.

‘‘After every two folk songs, the anchor would give out messages and create awareness about reproductive and child health,’’ said a senior Health Ministry official.

The other programme, titled Sur Bahar, will be based on popular film music and broadcast simultaneously from 40 primary channels of AIR and 13 Vividh Bharti stations. The ministry has also signed an agreement with AIR and Prasar Bharati, Mumbai and Patna, for broadcast of 30-second spots five-eight times daily.

‘‘The producers have been provided a basic guide to reproductive and child health prepared by the ministry. The messages are sent to the expert committee for technical details before broadcasting,’’ the official said.

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