On Monday, Arun Jaitley started his second stint as Minister for Information & Broadcasting. The Finance Minister, who is also responsible for Corporate Affairs, was given additional charge of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry on November 9.

Talking to reporters after assuming office as I&B Minister, Jaitley said that the paradigms of information had expanded and the Ministry needs to be keeping pace with these changes.

Changed pecking order

He said that during his earlier stint as I&B Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government, the strength of the print media was much more than the electronic media, but things have changed. There has also been growth in radio as well as other digital mediums, he said. Jaitley added that there was a time when the major work of the Ministry involved Doordarshan and All India Radio. “It is still a major area, but there is a changed information process scenario that this Ministry has to look at that,” he added.

He takes over from Prakash Javadekar, who will continue to hold his post as MoS (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

Some of the key policy decisions that the Ministry has to take up include clarity on corporate cross-holdings in media properties, the FM Radio Phase III auction, as well as the last two phases of the digital addressable system of Cable TV services.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been using All India Radio through his ‘ Mann Ki Baat’ programme to communicate with people on various issues. The Prime Minister has also been inviting citizens’ views and thoughts on good governance.

Former Olympian Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has assumed charge as the junior minister in the Ministry.

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