NEW DELHI: Venkaiah Naidu who has assumed additional charge of Information and Broadcasting held until now by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has said communication processes are critical for empowering people with information that would enable them to fulfill their aspirations.

He said the government’s mission would be to enable public communication for the development of the country and the community. Naidu told newspersons after taking charge yesterday that he would be guided by the principle of "Communication for Development of the Community and the Country" and the basic principles of “Reform, Perform, Transform and Inform”.

The government was a “reservoir of Information” relating to various aspects of a common man’s life. It was important to ensure proper flow of such information -“undiluted and unadulterated” - for broadening common man’s understanding of key policy initiatives of the government. This would facilitate the task of information empowerment, thereby creating an enabling environment for key stakeholders.

The minister said it was important to position various media units as credible brands for effectively serving the information needs of the people. He referred to the process of change ushered in by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which touched upon the attitudes of key stakeholders thereby reorienting our approach and understanding towards the concept of development. In order to achieve this goal, it was important to mainstream effective communication as an input to realize this change.

Jaitley, minister of State for I and B Rajyavardhan Rathore, secretary Ajay Mittal, Director-General (Media and Communication) in Press Information Bureau Frank Noronha and other senior officers of the ministry were present.

Naidu who already holds the urban development, housing and poverty alleviation ministry, but was divested of the parliamentary affairs portfolio in the latest reshuffle.