Delivering the inaugural speech at the `24th Conference of State and UT Ministers of Information & Cinematography' here on Sunday, Mr Vajpayee emphasised that there's a big scope for improving the level of coordination and the quality of publicity at the Centre as well as in states. The Prime Minister also stressed the need for revamping media units such as Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) and Press Information Bureau (PIB) to respond to new challenges.

Pointing out that a coordinated approach is sometimes lacking in the workings of the Centre and the states, the Prime Minister said: ``I attach a great importance to regular and close interaction between the Centre and the states and amongst the states themselves.'' He added: ``Such interaction is all the more important in the area of information and communication.''

Mr Vajpayee said that it is the reponsibility of the information ministries of the Centre and the states to depict India as an integral unit.

``It is also primarily their responsibility to make the implementation machineries of the Central and state governments to carry this national vision in all their activities,'' the Prime Minister said.

Referring to the media units under the I&B Ministry, Mr Vajpayee said: ``The various instruments of publicity that we have, must become more professional in their outlook and functioning.'' When Doordarshan, All India Radio (AIR), Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), Press Information Bureau (PIB), were created, there was little competition from elsewhere, he stated.

But now in a crowded and competitive media environment, it is a challenge before the government publicity units to carry the right information to the people, he added. ``I would urge this conference to deliberate seriously on the issue and chalk out a plan to suitably revamp all these organisations to respond to today's challenges,'' he stated. The Prime Minister's observation in the case of government media units is significant because these units have been facing the threat of closure recently. The Geethakrishnan Report on expenditure reforms, which was brought out a few months ago, recommended closing down government media units such as DAVP. But with the Prime Minister seeking a revamp of these units as against closure, the Geethakrishnan Report is expected to lose its impact.

Apart from the Prime Minister, others to address the inuagural session of the conference, which was open to the media, included Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj, State I&B Minister Ramesh Bais, Special Secretary I&B RR Shah, Secretary I&B YN Chaturvedi. The conference was scheduled to take up ``uniformity in entertainment tax on cinema'' and ``bringing cinema to the concurrent list'' as its main agenda, Ms Swaraj had said earlier. This conference, which is commonly known as Simcon, is held every two years.