Media is the mirror of society, journalists must stay updated in digital era: Tripura CM

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Agartala, Feb 14 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday said that the media is the mirror of society and stressed the need for journalists to stay constantly updated in the present era of artificial intelligence, the internet, and globalisation.

“Today is the era of AI and the internet. Globalisation has arrived, and therefore journalists must keep themselves updated. News should be presented with honesty and integrity in tune with the changing times,” the Chief Minister said.

Saha, who also holds the Information and Cultural Affairs portfolio, was speaking while inaugurating the two-day Bi-Annual State Conference and Journalist Workshop of the Tripura Working Journalists Association.

The theme of this year’s journalist workshop is ‘Embrace the Change’.

Congratulating the delegates, Saha said that the present state government is a media-friendly government and underlined the importance of professional training in journalism. “Such training programmes are very important. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised that efficiency must be enhanced in all fields,” he said.

Highlighting the role of the media in a democratic setup, the Chief Minister said that the media is regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy. “The pen is sharper than the sword. Journalists of Tripura are no less capable than those in other states. Within our limitations, we have taken several initiatives for the welfare of journalists,” he said.

Saha said that the state government receives daily inputs on law and order and other issues from various news agencies, district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates, block administrations, and grassroots-level functionaries across the state.

“To ensure proper coordination, a monitoring system has been introduced,” he added.

Recalling the evolution of the media, the Chief Minister said that newspapers were followed by radio, then television, and now social media and web-based platforms have emerged as powerful mediums.

“Many incidents are now seen first on social media. Therefore, while presenting news, journalists must do so with accuracy and responsibility to avoid confusion. In the field of media, many individuals have achieved recognition after overcoming numerous obstacles,” he said.

Saha added that truthful and responsible journalism inspires society and strengthens democratic values. During the programme, the Chief Minister also unveiled ‘Madhyam’, the mouthpiece of the Tripura Working Journalists Association.

Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Tinku Roy, Tripura Working Journalists Association President Bijay Pal, General Secretary Sunil Debnath, and other senior journalists and delegates were present on the occasion.

–IANS

sc/uk

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New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said on Sunday that India is now achieving “Make in India” at a global scale, as reports suggest that tech giant Apple may shift the entire assembly of iPhones meant for the US to India by next year.

Vaishnaw shared a newspaper clip on social media platform X with the caption “‘Make in India’ for global scale,” highlighting the country’s growing strength in global manufacturing.

According to a report by Financial Times, tech giant Apple is planning to shift the entire assembly of iPhones meant for the US to India by next year.

This would be a major step in Apple’s global manufacturing strategy as the company looks to reduce its dependence on China.

However, the final decision will depend on how fast India can strengthen its supply chain and how the ongoing trade talks between China and the US unfold.

The report mentioned that US President Donald Trump had also been pressuring Apple to move its production out of China due to trade tensions.

Trump recently confirmed that discussions on tariffs with China are still continuing.

Meanwhile, Apple’s contract manufacturers in India are already scaling up their operations.

Foxconn’s new plant in Bengaluru is expected to become operational this month and could produce up to 20 million iPhones at full capacity.

Apple’s manufacturing strength in India is already impressive.

In the past year, iPhones worth $22 billion were assembled in India, with Tamil Nadu-based Foxconn contributing nearly 50 per cent of Apple’s exports.

Exports from Foxconn’s factory have jumped more than 40 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Today, India accounts for nearly 20 per cent of Apple’s total iPhone production worldwide, showing how important the country has become for the brand’s global plans.

The Indian market is also witnessing strong growth for Apple.

In the first quarter of 2025 alone, more than three million iPhones were shipped from India — a new record.

This rising demand has been supported by affordability schemes such as no-cost EMIs, cashback offers, and discounts through online shopping platforms.

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–IANS

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Indian equity indices close flat amid profit booking ahead of Bihar poll results

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Sensex ended the session at 84,478.67, up 12.16 points or 0.01 per cent. Continuing the previous day’s rally, the 30-share index started trading higher at 84,525.89 against last session’s closing of 84,466.51. However, the index traded volatile during the session and closed flat amid profit booking post the last three days ‘ rally.

Nifty closed 25,879.15, up 3.35 points or 0.01 per cent.

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ICICI Bank, PowerGrid, L&T, Bharti Airtel, Sun Pharma, and Maruti Suzuki were among the top gainers from the Sensex stocks. Eternal, Tata Motors CV, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Steel, BEL, Tata Motors PV, Trent, TCS, Infosys, Hindustan Unilever, and Bajaj FinServ ended the session lower.

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Broader indices experienced pressure amid selling in small-cap and mid-cap stocks. Nifty Small Cap 100 decreased 66 points or 0.37 per cent, Nifty Midcap 100 fell 210 points or 0.35 per cent, while Nifty 100 ended flat.

Rupee traded flat in a narrow range near 88.67, as market participants remained cautious ahead of the Bihar election outcome due Friday morning, leading to a muted trading session.

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Tamil Nadu: CPI urges CM Stalin to reject proposed power tariff hike

Chennai, May 19 (IANS) Tamil Nadu State Secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI), R. Mutharasan, has voiced strong opposition to the proposed 3.16 per cent increase in electricity tariffs in the state, slated to take effect from July 1, 2025.

In a sharply worded statement, he urged the DMK-led state government to reject the recommendation put forth by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC). Mutharasan blamed the tariff hike on the previous AIADMK government’s decision to join the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), a central government scheme aimed at restructuring power distribution finances.

“By signing on to UDAY, the AIADMK government committed the state to annual electricity tariff revisions based on the lower of two benchmarks – either 6 per cent or the prevailing inflation rate at the close of each financial year,” he said. He pointed out that TNERC has implemented tariff hikes consistently over the past three years due to this commitment.

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