Digital Governance Thrives, Local Print Media Dies! No Clarity on What, Where, How, or for Whom the Works Are
Port Blair, July 09: Over the past decade, the
Government of India, through the Digital India initiative, has largely
succeeded in transforming most systems into digital ventures, such as
eProcurement, GeM, and other online platforms, even within administrative and
general communication systems, increasingly relying on social media platforms.
However, amid this digital shift, the general public remains largely unaware of
the ongoing developmental works around them.
Departments across various sectors now invite bids
for supply, construction, and maintenance solely through platforms like
eProcurement, GeM, and similar portals, without publishing notifications in
newspapers or any other public domain. As a result, only the bidders and
concerned department officials are informed about what is being procured, when
it is happening, and who is executing the work.
In many municipal wards and panchayats, people are
left clueless about where to report issues, whom to contact, or who is
constructing footpaths, drains, roads, or bridges in their localities.
Eventually, when the quality of work is compromised, the burden of
accountability falls on the public, who are then forced to run from pillar to
post, often receiving vague or irresponsible answers.
Plight of the Print Media
The print media in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, once a vital pillar of democracy, now finds itself in a state of neglect and near extinction. Despite repeated reminders to the Information and Publicity Division of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration regarding government advertisements and the timely clearance of advertisement bills, several departments have failed to settle outstanding dues. As the financial year 2024-25 nears its end, many payments remain pending, placing local media houses in a financially precarious situation.
While the A&N Administration has already drastically reduced the frequency of newspaper advertisements, severely impacting local publications, the continued delay in payments now poses an existential threat to their survival.
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