Manipur DIPR must speed up news, revive Manipuri language outreach: Advisor
Synopsis
At Manipur's 78th IPR Day, Chief Minister's Media Advisor Oinam Sunil Singh issued a clear directive: the state's information machinery must move faster, speak in Manipuri — the common tongue of 36 communities — and build a regulatory framework for digital media. The push to revive Meiteilon in official communications is both a language-equity call and a governance signal.
Key Takeaways
Oinam Sunil Singh , Advisor (Media) to the Manipur Chief Minister, called for faster news dissemination by DIPR at the 78th IPR Day on 2 November 2026 in Imphal .
He urged DIPR to revive and strengthen news releases in Manipuri (Meiteilon) , the shared language of 36 communities in the state.
Singh called for a formal digital media policy and a registration system for digital media organisations under the Directorate.
Neeta Arambam , Secretary (IPR), noted the department was established in 1949 , upgraded to a Directorate in 1974 , and expanded to district headquarters in 1975 .
Officials flagged the department's newly launched website as a key platform for accurate government communication in the digital age.
The Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of Manipur must sharpen the speed of its news dissemination and actively promote the Manipuri language (Meiteilon) through its official communications, Oinam Sunil Singh, Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister, said on 2 November 2026. Speaking at the celebration of the 78th Information and Public Relations Day, 2026, held at the DIPR Auditorium at Nityaipat Chuthek, Imphal, Singh stressed the urgent need to build the Directorate's professional capabilities.
Call for Faster, Multilingual News Delivery
Addressing the gathering as Chief Guest, Oinam Sunil Singh underscored that timely delivery of authentic government information would allow the press media to access it promptly and give it wider coverage, including prominence in headlines. He noted that while the Directorate currently conducts most of its publicity and communication activities in English, it must also reinstate and strengthen news dissemination in Manipuri.
Singh recalled that the Directorate had earlier regularly issued news in Manipuri, and pointed out that Meiteilon serves as a shared medium of communication connecting 36 communities across the state. He appealed to DIPR officials to deliberate on concrete steps to popularise Manipuri through the department's outreach activities.
Digital Media Policy Urged
Singh also called on officials to formulate a dedicated digital media policy and introduce a formal system for registering digital media organisations under the Directorate. He argued that such a framework would ensure better regulation and official recognition of the rapidly growing digital media sector in the state.
Secretary Highlights Department's Core Mandate
Neeta Arambam, Secretary (IPR), speaking on the occasion, outlined the department's two primary responsibilities: ensuring authentic government information reaches citizens quickly, accurately, and effectively, and maintaining cordial public relations. She noted that in the present digital age, information — genuine or false — can travel globally within seconds, making responsible and accurate communication more critical than ever.
Arambam also highlighted the department's newly launched website as a key platform for truthful communication. She traced the history of the Directorate, noting that it was established in 1949, upgraded to a full Directorate in 1974, and had its activities expanded to different district headquarters by 1975.
Significance of the 78th IPR Day
The 78th IPR Day marked more than a ceremonial milestone. Officials used the occasion to lay out a reform agenda for the Directorate — encompassing language inclusion, digital regulation, and communication speed — at a time when Manipur continues to navigate a complex information environment. The calls for reviving Manipuri-language news dissemination reflect a broader recognition that government communication must reach all communities in their own language to remain credible and effective.
Point of View
But it arrives against a fraught backdrop. In a state where information disputes have at times inflamed community tensions, the choice of communication language is not merely administrative — it is political. The proposal to register digital media organisations is worth watching: done right, it could bring accountability to a fast-growing sector; done wrong, it could become a tool to selectively credential friendly outlets. The absence of a specific timeline or measurable target for either reform leaves both initiatives at the level of aspiration for now.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the key message at Manipur's 78th IPR Day?
The central message was that the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) must deliver government news faster and must revive Manipuri-language outreach to reach all 36 communities of the state. Advisor Oinam Sunil Singh also called for a new digital media regulatory policy.
Why is Manipuri-language news dissemination important for DIPR?
Manipuri (Meiteilon) is the shared medium of communication for 36 communities in Manipur and had historically been part of DIPR's output. Reviving it would ensure government information reaches citizens who are more comfortable in their mother tongue, improving both reach and credibility of official communications.
What is the proposed digital media policy for Manipur's DIPR?
Advisor Oinam Sunil Singh proposed that DIPR formulate a dedicated digital media policy and introduce a system to formally register digital media organisations under the Directorate. The aim is to regulate and officially recognise the rapidly growing digital media sector in the state.
When was the Directorate of Information and Public Relations in Manipur established?
The department was established in 1949 and upgraded to the status of a full Directorate in 1974. By 1975, its activities had been expanded to different district headquarters across Manipur.
Who spoke at the 78th Information and Public Relations Day in Imphal?
Chief Guest Oinam Sunil Singh, Advisor (Media) to the Manipur Chief Minister, and Neeta Arambam, Secretary (IPR), were the principal speakers at the event held on 2 November 2026 at the DIPR Auditorium, Nityaipat Chuthek, Imphal.
