Arunachal: Two-Day Community Radio Workshop Held in Itanagar
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in collaboration with CEMCA and Rajiv Gandhi University, organized a two-day awareness workshop to strengthen community radio initiatives across Northeast India.
ITANAGAR- ( By Taksing Poma )- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) and Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), organized a two-day Community Radio Awareness Workshop from October 30–31 in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
The workshop brought together over 40 participants representing five Northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Mizoram — including members from educational institutions, NGOs, community-based organizations (CBOs), and government departments.
The initiative aimed to raise awareness about the role of community radio in fostering grassroots communication, demystify licensing procedures, and encourage eligible organizations to apply for new Community Radio Station (CRS) licenses.
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In her special address, Ms. Shilpa Rao Tanugula, Director at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, highlighted the government’s policy framework for community radio and emphasized its importance as a vehicle for inclusive communication.
“At present, India has 549 operational Community Radio Stations, with 21 active in the Northeast. The Government of India is taking special initiatives to expand this network with dedicated financial support,” Tanugula noted.
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Prof. Jayadeba Sahoo, Former Vice-Chancellor In-Charge and Senior Professor at RGU, stressed that community radio serves as a bridge between policy and people. “Workshops like this help democratize media and bring development closer to the grassroots,” he said.
Mr. Amit Dwivedi, Project Director (CRS), MIB, outlined the objectives of the workshop and detailed the online licensing process under the Supporting Community Radio Movement in India scheme. He also underscored new efforts by the Ministry to simplify procedures and improve transparency.
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Ms. Monica Sharma from CEMCA, New Delhi, shared insights on community radio management and sustainability. Participants also visited a local CRS for practical exposure, engaging in group activities on sustainable operations and community participation.
The event saw active participation from officials of the Ministry, media professionals, experts from established community radio stations, and students from Rajiv Gandhi University. Discussions centered around leveraging community radio as a tool for local communication, education, and development.
The workshop concluded with a valedictory session addressed by Dr. B. Shadrach, Director of CEMCA, and Dr. N.T. Rikam, Registrar of RGU, who emphasized the need for expanding community radio outreach to the remotest areas.
“To achieve true inclusivity, we must ensure that every voice, no matter how small, finds a medium,” Dr. Shadrach said in his closing remarks.
The two-day program reaffirmed the region’s commitment to empowering communities through media literacy and participatory communication, signaling a renewed momentum for the growth of community radio in India’s Northeast.
