SP-led UP govt plans to start news channel

As the state is nearing the crucial assembly election, the Samajwadi Party-led Uttar Pradesh government is seeking permission of the centre government to start a news channel. The Union Information and Broadcasting ministry is expected to convene a meeting of the information ministers on today. It is said that the Uttar Pradesh government will raise the proposal seeking a state-owned news channel during the meeting. As the UP Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav, who holds the information department portfolio, is not able to attend the meeting organised by the I-B ministry, the UP minister for trade and tax, Yasar Shah, on behalf of the UP CM, is likely to attend the meeting. Experts claim that it is a strategic demand. If the proposal is granted the SP-led government could gain an effortless advantage over the oppositions in the upcoming assembly election, observe the experts. It is learned that the SP government is trying their best to retain their power by grabbing a consecutive victory in the state. A national media reports as a Union Information and Broadcast ministry source as saying, the central government is less likely to give permission to a state government or state assembly to start a news channel. While speaking to the reporters, the UP minister, Shah, quips that when a private organisation is given a permission to start a news channel why not a state government. Earlier, a similar demand raised by the AAP government was rejected by the centre government.

Vignesh

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