Natural role of media is to create debate by discussing issues, says PM Modi | India News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the natural role of the media was to create discourse by discussing serious issues as he inaugurated the secretariat of the Newspaper Society of India, INS Towers, in Mumbai.

He said the role of newspapers is crucial in the journey towards Viksit Bharat in the next 25 years and called on Indian publications to strengthen their global presence.

Modi expressed confidence that India will soon become the third largest economy and spoke about how the country has become the leader in digital payments.

“Media makes people realise their strength. The natural role of media is to create a discourse by discussing serious issues,” Modi said.

The role of newspapers is very important in the journey towards Viksit Bharat in the next 25 years. The citizens of a country who gain confidence in their abilities start reaching new heights of achievement. The same is happening in India today, Modi said during his speech at Bandra Kurla Complex.

He said that INS has not only witnessed the ups and downs of India's journey but also lived it and communicated it to the people.

A country's image in the world directly affects its economy. Indian publications should strengthen their international presence, the Prime Minister said.

He said that the media are not mute spectators of the condition of nations, but play a major role in changing them.

Highlighting the role of newspapers and magazines in the 25-year journey towards Viksit Bharat, Modi underlined the role of media in creating awareness about the rights and potential of citizens.

Modi also explained how India has become the leader in digital payments.

“There was a time when some politicians used to say that digital transactions were not suitable for India. They had a preconceived notion that modern technology could not work in this country,” he said.

Modi said the world is witnessing the capabilities of Indians and today the country is creating new records in digital transactions.

“With India's UPI and modern digital public infrastructure, people's comfort of life has improved and it has become easier for them to send money across countries,” Modi said.

The country will benefit from the effective work done by the Indian Newspaper Society, he added.

Media makes people realise their strength, Modi said, adding that the natural role of media is to create discourse by discussing serious issues, even as he highlighted the impact of government policies on the functioning of media.

The Prime Minister said that before 2014, most people did not know the word “startup”, but the media brought it to every household.

Citing the success of digital transactions in India as an example of how confident citizens achieve great success, Modi said, “Great nations are interested in India’s digital public infrastructure.”

The Prime Minister cited the example of financial inclusion and opening of bank accounts through the Jan Dhan Yojna movement and bringing around 50 million people into the banking system.

“This project has been the biggest help for digital India and anti-corruption initiatives,” he said.

Modi praised the media for making movements like Swachh Bharat and Startup India part of the national discourse, saying these initiatives were unaffected by vote bank politics.

He said that the decisions taken by the Indian Newspaper Society have given direction to the media in the country and stressed that any event launched by the government is not necessarily a government event and any idea put forward may not belong to the government alone.

Modi highlighted the important role of media in strengthening the sense of duty and awareness among citizens towards the Constitution, in view of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Constitution of India.

First published: July 13, 2024 | 11:07 p.m. EAST