By Jay Krishna Yadav, Inaruwa, Nov. 30: Chief Minister of Province 1 Rajendra Kumar Rai has remarked that the Gorkhapatra daily and its sister publications are asset of the country.

The Chief Minster also assured of necessary support and assistance to the Gorkhaptara.

"Gorkhapatra has contributed to building an enriched society by preserving national languages and their scripts," CM Rai observed while addressing the inaugural session of the provincial level orientation programme organised by the Gorkhapatra Corporation here in Itahari on Tuesday.

CM Rai pointed at the need for allotting due importance to languages and scripts of the indigenous nationalities and lauded the Gorkhaptara's contribution to this end.

Speaking on the occasion, executive Chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation, Bishnu Subedi, viewed that the Gorkhaptra carries history of Nepal's journalism and it stands as a heritage of the nation.

He shared his plan to develop the media house into a digitally smart news publication.

"We are already into the preparations for developing the Gorkhapatra Corporation into a digitally smart media house. As the paper, the Gorkhapatra, carries a glorious history of 122 years, which in turn provides documents for history writing, we will provide all the issues in digital form and the audience can use them by paying some royalty," said executive Chairman Subedi.

He shared that works are underway in such a way that the readers will find a different taste of an improved design and content of the publications after February 19.

Chairman Subedi said that the number of circulation of the paper will also be expanded and enlarged and that a Gorkhapatra Campaign will be initiated in both the rural and urban areas.

"Gorkhapatra is asset of the nation. It is not only for a political party or the government for that matter. We need support from all to make it further trustworthy, readable and refined both technologically and professionally," said Chairman Subedi.

He said all the publications of the Corporation such as The Rising Nepal, Muna, Madhupark and Yuva Manch needed to be made more reader friendly as well as technology friendly.

Indra Dev Yadav, Chief District Officer of Sunsari district, viewed that the Gorkhapatra has also contributed to the development of the country and pointed at the need to publish research oriented news and views.

Kashi Raj Dahal, Chief District Officer of Morang district, said the Gorkhaptra has been disseminating news reports related to people's livelihood.

"The Gorkhapatra needs to disseminate more news reports on development and it should be distributed in the rural areas as well because I got through the exam of the public service commission by reading it," said CDO Dahal.

Diwas Pokharel, senior vice-Chair of Itahari Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bhimsen Thapaliya, acting editor in chief of The Rising Nepal, Shiva Kumar Bhattarai, acting editor in chief of the Gorkhapatra, chiefs of different departments of the Gorkhapatra Corporations also put forth their views in the orientation programme.