The Jammu and Kashmir government has set a four-month deadline to formulate a comprehensive new media policy, Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Itoo announced, signalling a significant regulatory shift for the Union Territory’s rapidly evolving media landscape.
“Healthy criticism is always welcome, but targeting someone’s dignity without reason is unacceptable,” the Minister said, stressing that constructive criticism should be distinguished from personal attacks.
On media-related issues, Itoo said the government would formulate a new media policy within the next four months.
She said the policy would seek to address issues concerning the media landscape while underlining the importance of professional standards, responsible reporting and accountability in the use of digital platforms.
She said professional journalism must be respected, adding that those who misuse social media should also be held accountable for their actions.
Itoo said that there is need for responsible communication and the need to maintain a balance between freedom of expression and accountability.
The Minister emphasised that criticism remains an important part of public discourse, while maintaining that it should be exercised responsibly and without unnecessarily harming an individual’s dignity.
She reiterated that the government’s focus on skill development was aimed at creating opportunities for educated youth to become economically independent and contribute to the region’s development
Asserting that the government aims to make youngsters self-reliant by developing their skills, Itoo said that educated unemployed youth are facing depression and they need to be pulled out from the quagmire of uncertainty.
Itoo, said the government wants to help young people acquire practical skills so that they can become self-reliant and explore alternative avenues of livelihood instead of depending solely on conventional government jobs. “Many young people remain idle at home due to a lack of employment opportunities, which can lead to frustration and depression,” she added.
Itoo stressed the need to connect educated youth with skill development programmes that can improve their employability, encourage entrepreneurship and enable them to earn a livelihood through their own efforts.
The minister said equipping young people with relevant skills is important for addressing unemployment-related challenges and ensuring their productive participation in society.—(KNO)
