I&B Ministry
Publication division needs to adopt new technology, e-commerce: Javadekar
NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has asked the publication division to adapt itself through technological tools, e-commerce, business models, online publications etc.
According to the Minister, crowd sourcing has become a principal tool to involve people in bringing about change and innovation and enhancing outreach through people’s involvement.
The Minister has invited suggestions from youngsters regarding the future role of publication division in the changed scenario where it has undergone a drastic change both in content and technology.
Presenting the Bhartendu Harishchandra Awards for promotion of Hindi writers for the years 2011 and 2012, Javadekar said the growing literacy in the country was a catalyst to promote relevant contemporary writings.
The role of publication division was much more beyond mere publishing. As a Government institution the future road map lay in identifying benchmarks so as to ensure people had access to good quality publications. Literature remained the principal catalyst to promote creativity across different sections of society. This was a time tested exercise and it provided the people a sense of satisfaction across all age groups.
The Minister also called upon the publication division to explore the possibility of starting a special series/collection of prominent books/works on eminent personalities.
He also said while the prize money of Bhartendu Harishchandra Awards would be enhanced, a special category of awards to promote original writings focusing on all round development of adolescent girls would be instituted from next time. The objective of the new awards was to encourage the spirit of women empowerment from the adolescent stage of growth for girls.
The Minister also announced that the award function would be held every year on 9 September being the birth anniversary of the eminent writer. These awards were presented on the birth anniversary of renowned Hindi writer Bharatendu Harishchandra for the first time this year.
One of the key initiatives of the Ministry was to promote books and manuscripts original writing in Hindi, the Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards have been presented by the publication division annually since 1983. Bharatendu Harishchandra paved the renaissance for Hindi language and literature.
The awards were initially given in Journalism and Mass Communication. The other three categories, viz., National Integration, Women’s Issues and Children’s Literature were added in 1992. Original writing in Hindi by Indian authors is the eligibility criteria for the award.
For the year 2011, the first prize in the Journalism and Mass Communication category was awarded to Vijay Dutt Shridhar for his manuscript ‘Pehla Sampadakiya’. Harish Chandra Barnwal’s book ‘Television ki Bhasha’ has been chosen for the second prize in this category. The third prize went to Santosh Kumar Nirmal for his book ‘Filmein aur Prachar: Tab se ab tak’.
In the Women’s Issues category, the award was conferred on Gitashri for her manuscript ‘Aurat ki Boli’ while for National Integration went to Dr. Navratan Kapoor for the book “Tyoharon Tatha Melon ki Vichitratain, Jansanchar Maadhyam aur Rashtriya Ekta”.
The first prize in Children’s Literature category for the same year was given to Bano Sartaj for her book ‘Pakya aur Parichham’ and the second prize to Rajiv Saxena for ‘Professor Khurana ka Clone’.
For 2012, the first prize in Journalism and Mass Communication category was awarded to Vijaya Lakshmi Sinha’s ‘Maine Awaaz ko Dekha’, while the second and third prize was conferred on Madhav Hada for his book titled ‘Seedhiyaan Chadhta Media’ and Suresh Kumar’s ‘Online Media’ won the third prize.
In Women’s Issues category in 2012, Urmila Kumari’s book ‘Jaar Jaar Taar Taar’ was selected for the first prize while Dr. Sanjula Thanvi’s book ‘Manavaadhikar, Panchayati Raj Se Sashakt Naari’ was selected for the second prize.
In Children’s Literature category Dr. Mohammed Arshad Khan’s book ‘Mickey Mouse’ won the first Prize and the book ‘Phoolon se Pyar’ by Pavitra Agrawal received the second prize.
I&B Ministry
Government sets up AI governance group to steer policy
AIGEG to align ministries, assess jobs impact, guide AI deployment.
MUMBAI: If artificial intelligence is the engine, the government is now building the dashboard and making sure everyone reads from the same screen. The Centre has constituted a new inter-ministerial body to coordinate India’s approach to AI, formalising a key recommendation from its governance framework and the Economic Survey. The AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will act as the central platform to align AI-related policy across ministries, regulators and departments, an attempt to bring coherence to what has so far been a fragmented and fast-evolving landscape.
The group will be chaired by union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, with minister of state Jitin Prasada as vice chairperson. Its composition reflects both technological and economic priorities, bringing together the principal scientific adviser, the chief economic adviser, and the CEO of NITI Aayog, alongside key secretaries from telecommunications, economic affairs and science and technology. A representative from the National Security Council Secretariat is also part of the group, while the MeitY secretary will serve as member convenor.
At its core, AIGEG is designed to do two things: coordinate and anticipate. On the policy front, it will review existing regulatory mechanisms, issue guidance across sectors and ensure companies remain compliant with evolving legal frameworks. Beyond that, it will oversee national initiatives on AI governance, with a focus on enabling responsible innovation rather than merely regulating it.
The economic dimension is equally central. The group has been tasked with assessing how AI-driven automation could reshape jobs identifying which roles are most at risk, where those impacts may be geographically concentrated, and whether technology will augment or replace human labour. Based on these assessments, it will develop mitigation strategies and transition plans, signalling a more proactive stance on workforce disruption.
In parallel, AIGEG will work with industry stakeholders to chart a long-term roadmap for AI adoption, categorising use cases into “deploy”, “pilot” or “defer” buckets depending on readiness factors such as data availability, skill levels and regulatory clarity. The aim is to move from broad ambition to structured execution deciding not just what can be built, but what should be built now.
The group will function as the apex layer in India’s AI governance architecture, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee that will track global developments, emerging risks and regulatory priorities. Together, the two bodies are expected to shape both the pace and direction of AI adoption in the country.
In a landscape where technology often outruns policy, the creation of AIGEG signals an attempt to close that gap ensuring that India’s AI journey is not just rapid, but also coordinated, accountable and economically grounded.
