Government's commitment is to enforce PBS: Secretary Malla

Kathmandu, June 28: Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communications, Sunil Bahadur Malla, has said that the government was committed to bringing Public Broadcasting Service into implementation.

Speaking at a programme organised by the taskforce formed by the government to provide suggestions regarding structure, responsibility and operating guideline of the Public Broadcasting Service Institute here today, he said it was the responsibility of the government to protect and fulfill people's freedom of speech and expression.
The government through the budget programme of the fiscal year 2014/15 had decided to form the Public Broadcasting Service Foundation by merging the state-owned Radio Nepal and Nepal Television. The taskforce formed under the chairmanship of NTV Chairman Neer Shah has been collecting suggestions in this regard.

Presenting a working paper regarding structure, responsibility and operating guidelines of the proposed Institute, taskforce member Taranath Dahal stressed that the government should make an arrangement of a budget of Rs 1 billion annually for the same. He also emphasized on the need for a PBS institution in the country.

Similarly, another taskforce member Kundan Aryal presented a working paper about the different programmes expected from the PBS. He said some programmes presented by both NTV and Radio Nepal should be continued, some should be reviewed and some should be closed if they are to be merged. RSS