Major revamp of information and publicity units in the northeast is in the offing with I&B minister Ambika Soni expected to evaluate their effectiveness over a special conclave next week. Besides Doordarshan's northeast channel, the minister is also likely to address concerns related to manpower, resources and optimum utilisation of funds of other field units.

                  The conclave, to be held on July 13, would be the first in a series of meetings which the ministry will hold across the country to know regional information needs of a particular area.

                  Minister has asked all wings of the ministry like Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity, All India Radio, Press Information Bureau, Song and Drama Division, Directorate of Field Publicity and the Directorate of Film Festivals to prepare concept papers on region-specific key initiatives that they have taken and the roadmap prepared for the northeast, sources said.

            The government this year raised the expenditure for development of the northeast region to Rs 1,760 crore for 2010-11, up 19% from the revised budget of the previous fiscal.