Public Relations in India

1. Public Relations in India

2. Development of PR in Post-Independence Period • With Independence in India, the earlier scenario of the nation changed. • On one hand, tragedy of partition had to be handled and on the other hand the foundation of the Indian state had to be laid. • First task was to frame a democratic Constitution.

3. The Constitution proclaimed the Indian polity as a Parliamentary Democracy, federal in structure but unitary in features. • Two features of Constitution were significant from the point of view of PR. • One was the guarantee of certain fundamental rights including the right to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of assembly, association or union, of movement, residence and the right to practice any occupation.

4. The second was adult suffrage. • With the establishment of an elected Parliament and elected legislative assemblies along with establishment of a free press, the two essential pre-conditions for the growth of professional Public Relations in India had been fulfilled.

5. There were two other developments which contributed to the spread of PR in the country. • One was the planned industrialization of the country and the other was expansion of the diversification of the media.

6. PR and Industrial Development in India • Before independence, there were very few industries in our country. • Then after independence, government set up Planning Commission in 1950 to develop the industries in country. • It was established to prepare a blue print for development.

7. By the end of Second Five Year Plan (1957-62), a remarkable change had taken place in the industrial scenario as giant steel plants, heavy electrical and engineering complexes began to emerge. • The infrastructure also developed automatically.

8. The guidelines for the pattern of industrial development were provided by the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1948. • These were later more clearly defined in the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956. • These resolutions demarcated the respective areas for different sectors of industry.

9. Certain important areas, termed as core sectors, were reserved for the public sectors. • Public Sectors are undertakings set up and owned by the government. • Other less important areas were open for the private sector.

10. The Government of India exercised a strict control over industry with the help of an Act passed in 1951, the Industrial Development and Regulation Act. • It was made compulsory for an industry with a capital base above a certain limit to seek a license from the government for its operations.

11. Subsequently, other legislations were introduced to control and regulate industry. • Among them, two important legislations were the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act (MRTP) and the Foreign Exchange Act (FERA). • The Imports and exports were strictly regulated by the Controller of Imports and Exports

12. The Companies’ Act laid down an elaborate code for the functioning of companies including conditions under which the Directors to the Boards of companies could be appointed and the emoluments could be paid to them.

13. Conclusion • The adoption by the Parliament of this elaborate framework of legislation and the setting up of so many bodies to regulate the various aspects of the functioning of industry created a situation where it became necessary for industry to develop relations with the government, its many regulatory institutions and with the Parliament.

14. Origin of PR Practice in India • In this background of developments, both the government and business organizations had to adopt conscious and deliberate policies and programmes of public relations. • It was from this period of fifties when the PR practice in the modern sense of the term began in India.

15. Large international companies, which already had their own expertise in Public Relations, began to make use of these techniques in India so that they would be able to survive and grow in the post-independence environment

16. In the 50s and early 60s, companies like Burmah Shell, ESSO, Dunlop, Philips etc. set up departments to execute programmes of Public Relations to meet the new situation. • Indian companies like the House of Tatas also began to set up their own PR departments to organise PR activities.

17. Need for PR Units in the Public Sector • The fact that public sector enterprises had been entirely financed by the government, brought them under public scrutiny. • Thus an element of dual control evolved. • The Parliament and its various committees were constantly monitoring the performance of these undertakings. • Simultaneously, the media too was watchful and quick to point out any failing and deficiency in public sector.

18. At the same time, PSUs were in an advantageous position, as far as publicity was concerned. • The entire government infrastructure of information and communication was available to them and the government media like radio and television were accessible for publicity.

19. Therefore PSUs started setting up PR departments, however this was done initially in haphazard manner. • In the meanwhile, the Government of India set up a Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to monitor the functioning of the public enterprises.

20. In addition to it, the PSUs felt the need for a platform to share their experiences, to coordinate their activities and to discuss their common problems. • For this purpose, a Standing Committee on Public Enterprises (SCOPE), was set up with representatives of the important public enterprises.

21. The Public Relations Society of India (PRSI), the central association of PR professionals and practioners, in the private as well as public sectors, discussed at its conferences and committee meetings, the problems of PR in the public sector. • The Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings (CPU) took note of all these deliberations and discussed the problems PSUs face in maintaining relations with public.