Dear Comrades,
The Presidents & General Secretaries of the 10
Recognised Associations had a meeting with the CEO, Prasar Bharati in the
conference Hall of the Prasar Bharati Secretariat at 13.30 Hrs on 06.06.2013.
Brig (Retd) Shri. VAM Hussain, Member (P), Shri. B.B.Pandit, Member (Finance),
Shri. L.D. Mondloi, DG:AIR, Shri. Tripurari Sharan, DG:DD, Shri. R.K.Sinha,
E-in-C (DD), Shri. Yuvraj Bajaj, E-in-C (AIR) and almost all senior officers of
PB, AIR &DD were present in the meeting. Shri. Umesh Mishra, President
& Shri. Sukanta Sengupta, General Secretary represented ADP3.
While welcoming the Associations, Shri. Jawhar
Sircar, CEO Prasar Bharati stated that the biggest faltering obstruction is the
misleading and ambiguous autonomy of PB where PB is not getting proper support
from Ministry. He informed that PB succeeded in getting the approval of Home
Ministry for the use of National Emblem for it. He informed that necessary instructions will be issued to include the National
Emblem in the Identity Cards of the employees.
He informed about recent initiatives taken by Prasar
Bharati and was pleased to tell that DD has improved its ratings as per
recently released comparison by various marketing survey agencies. A paper
containing such information was also distributed to all Associations. He also
informed that PB won the case against ESPN for getting feed of Cricket matches
without any advertisements and accordingly now the Cricket matches without any
break for advertisements will be played in National Channel of Doordarshan. He
pointed that the immediate need for welfare of the employees in Prasar Bharati
is Recruitments of employees, promotion for existing employees & financial
consolidation. He assured to call Consultative meetings under his chairmanship
in every six months with Presidents/ General Secretaries. The four hour long
meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere in which the following issues were
discussed:
Cadre
Review :
We have demanded immediate implementation of Cadre
Review for all the employees of DD Programme Wing. CEO directed officials to
immediately work on this issue. It is also pointed out that the issues attained
finality by Apex Courts is being delayed for implementation. Annual
Subscriptions: Associations pointed that inspite of the assurance in the
meeting with M(P) necessary instruction are still to be issued the DDOs for
sending the details of the subscription to the Associations concerned. It is
demanded to make annual subscriptions of members of every Association in place
of monthly subscription to ease the workload on Associations as well as on office.
We have demanded PB to issue strict instructions to all DDOs to send the
details of the membership to the Associations concerned. CEO directed the
official to issue the order in this regard.
Facilities
to Associations:
It was pointed out that rooms are not allotted to
the Recognised Associations despite the assurance in the meeting with M(P). It
was demanded that Associations be provided room for it’s office for smooth
functioning.
Promotion to the Programme Cadre:
In situ promotion to Programme cadres, creation of Presentation Wing
of AIR & DD to take care of Announcers, comperers etc, reviving of the
cadres like Lighting Assistants, Scenic Designer which were declared dying
cadres some time ago, etc also raised in the meeting.In this reference, CEO confirmed that 1400 staff are going to be promoted in the cadre of Programme Executive. though there was a demand to declare seniors of other wings as Head of a Kendra, DG:DD, DG:AIR and CEO himself confirmed that Head of a Kendra shall be only from Programme in both AIR and DD to ensure survival of the two media. The present case of declaring seniors of other wings is a temporary arrangement and has been taken due to extreme shortage of senior officers in Programme Wing.
ADP3 had submitted a different angle to deal with the issue.
It was expressed
that Doordarshan is not to be compared with other Channels, because of its
Structure, Working Pattern, Contents of Programmes and the range of target
viewers dealt with. Ideally, Doordarshan presents the cultural-mosaic of the
whole Nation, each and every region, religions and communities. Doordarshan is
for all whether it is the richest of the rich or poorest of the poor citizens
of the Country. To develop the situation, we have to understand Doordarshan as
it is. ADP3 requested all the brothers and sisters of other associations and
also to the seniors of the department not to be carried away with the
allegation that Doordarshan cannot produce programmes with professional
quality. If we search for professionalism only in the field of entertainment,
we shall cease to be a Public Service Broadcaster. Actually, what people mean
to say about professionalism can only be found just in media business. In a
country like India where 33 % of the world's poorest people live in, even though the
country's poverty rate is half as high as it was in last three decades,
Doordarshan, the National Channel in true sense, cannot do only business
forgetting its first and foremost duties.
Actual problems
lie with the scarcity of Key Staff in the Programme Wing of Doordarshan,
vacancy in the upper hierarchy, administrative failure and pin pointing the
actual fault in the system.
Initially,
following measures were suggested:
a.
Immediate promotion to the stagnating cadres of
Programme Wing. e.g. Programme Executive, Production Assistant, Cameraman, Editors, Floor Manager, Property Assistant, Floor Assistant, Carpenter, Painter, Tailor, Make Up Assistant, Graphic Artist etc.
b.
Filling up of vacancies arises due to promotion and Recruitment of Film / Video Editors.
c.
Filling up of vacancies in the upper hierarchies to
strengthen the pyramidal structure.
d.
Formation of one committee in the Prasar Bharati to
monitor the activities of development in close liaison with the representatives
of Associations.
e.
To revive the essential posts of Doordarshan like
scenic designer, Lighting Assistant etc., Graphic Designer, Post Production Assistant, which were declared as dying without
considering the impact of it.
f.
Generation of some new posts like NLE - Compositing -
Special Effects Editors.
g.
Creation of new posts as per requirement to cope up
with the new media technologies.
Lastly, on
behalf of all members of ADP3, the President confirmed that we all are ready to
work together with the authority and assured that members of ADP3 shall not
leave any stone unturned to regain the lost glory of our beloved Doordarshan.
Minutes of the
meeting are awaited.