Our Correspondent
Imphal, Nov. 27 (EMN): The two-day inter-regional media Interaction programme between Myanmar and India began at Imphal on Monday.
Inaugurating the programme at a conference hall of a private hotel in Imphal, Manipur Chief Minister Nongthomban Biren Singh said that his government is taking steps to introduce bus service between Manipur and Myanmar and VISA issues in order to have people to people contact for a better relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
Stating that the interaction programme has marked the beginning of a new chapter in the bilateral relation of the two neighbouring countries, Manipur CM said media should be strengthened as it plays a crucial role in delivering good governance to the people and creating good civic sense among the masses.
Reminding the gathering that the interaction programme organised between India and Myanmar journalists was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Yangon in Sep. this year where Modi said he is glad that the two countries had agreed to encourage cooperation between the Press Council of India (PCI) and Myanmar Press Council(MPC).
Drawing attention of the Myanmar journalists, he also informed that his government will consider the proposal of setting up of a guest house for the Myanmarese particularly for the Buddhist monks in the state as many Buddhists from Myanmar goes to Bodhgaya annually.
Expressing hope that the media delegates would explore more about the potentials of the state during their stay in the state, Biren further said that he has a firm belief that bilateral relations between the two sides can be enhanced through ‘people-to-people connectivity’ while citing that giving emphasis to diplomatic channels is also equally important.
State Chief Secretary RR Rashmi, Commissioner (Information and Public Relations) K Radhakumar and Convenor of State Level Committee for Actualisation of Act East Policy, RK Shivachandra also attended the inaugural function of the interaction programme which was attended by 11 Myanmar journalists representing MPC, Myanmar Journalists Association, News Media Council Myanmar, Mizzima media group and Burmese News International etc.
Two representatives from PCI, one representative each from Press Association, Indian Journalist Union and Editor Guild of India and a number of senior journalists from Manipur are also taking part in the interaction programme.
During the morning session, Pradip Phanjoubam of Imphal Free Press, Dr Zaw Than of MPC and Vivek Saxena of PCI spoke on ‘Cooperation and understanding in media and activities between Myanmar and India.’
