Build culture of gender equity, Tewari tells AIR staff

Stressing on the need to create an environment of "gender equity" at workplaces, Information and Broadcasting minister Manish Tewari today said women played a prominent role in growth of countries.
"We live in a society where an increasing number of young women are entering the work force. Women have played an important role in countries which have transformed from low income to middle income nations," Tewari said at a function organised by the All India Radio (AIR).
"So it is our duty to create a culture of gender equity where both men and women are able to work together to take the country and these institutions forward," he added.

Tewari was speaking at a function organised for the distribution of the Akashvani Annual Awards 2011.
His remarks have come at a time when Prasar Bharati has acted against certain employees following complaints of sexual harassment earlier this week.
Speaking further Tewari said that the government was considering setting up a round the clock FM news channel.

"I have been working with both CEO Prasar Bharati as well as Secretary I&B to explore the possibility of whether without expending too much of resource, we can have a dedicated 24 hour FM news channel which can broadcast news round the clock," Tewari said.

"Not only does the AIR and Doordarshan together have huge news gathering apparatus, but possibly also have the capacity to be able to disseminate it 24 hours a day," he added.
The minister said that with increased teledensity, radio could leverage the possibility of more and more mobile phone users tuning to it.