Kathmandu. Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel has urged the office-bearers of Press Council Nepal to work in a way to make the general public feel as a high-powered and autonomous body.

Speaking at a reception organized in his honour by the Press Council Nepal here today, he urged the Council to carry out result-oriented activities at a time when the general elections are approaching and the activities of the political parties are increasing.

He further said that the Council should be serious about monitoring and regulating the personal social networks operated at the citizen’s level and bringing them under the ambit of action. Minister Kharel pointed out the need for the state to take the responsibility of the media that are registered in the country and enlisted in the Press Council.

Minister Kharel also stressed the need of establishing the principle that Press Council is the judiciary of mass media. He said, “Many challenges have surfaced in recent times as the laws could not be forwarded as per the changed situation with the development of science and technology. The entire state machinery should be worried by the act of abusing, defaming and attacking each other through false, false and hateful information on social media. ’

On the occasion, Minister Kharel suggested the Council to disseminate awareness-raising content in the context of regulating the social networks registered in Nepal. He also suggested forming a taskforce immediately to find out what kind of human resources and equipment the Council needs and how it would be easier to regulate the social network.

Stressing the need of effective monitoring for the enforcement of the code of conduct at a time when the country is preparing for the general election, Minister Kharel said, “The Press Council is an autonomous body and the Ministry does not interfere with it.” The Ministry is ready to take policy decisions and provide support. ’

He expressed the view that the Council should be able to disseminate the message that the Council was working actively and independently as per the expectation of the general public, government and all the stakeholders.

On the occasion, Secretary at the Ministry, Radhika Aryal assured the Council of all sorts of assistance. Council member Bal Krishna Adhikari, who chaired the program, said that the Council has been performing amidst the lack of technical required human resources and budget.

Earlier, Chief Administrative Officer of the Council, Jhabindra Bhusal, had briefed about the overall status and functioning of the Council.