NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the coverage of various scams by the electronic and print media in the past few months had unfortunately created an impression that 'we are a scam-driven country and that nothing good is happening in our country.'

Singh added that in the process, "I think we are weakening the self-confidence of the people of India. I do not think that it is in the interest of anybody in our country."

At the same time, he lauded the media for drawing the country's attention to some aberrations whether in the form of allocation of 2G spectrum, the Commonwealth Games and more recently some developments in the Space organisation, and the Adarsh society affairs.

"I think the media has played a very important role in drawing the country's attention to these issues which require corrective action'. He also remarked about the media referring to him as a 'lame duck Prime Minister."

Dr Singh was making opening remarks to editors from the electronic media in the capital. Later he answered questions relating to various issues including the scams and the economy.

He said: "The media has an obligation, the Government has an obligation, the Opposition has an obligation that we work together in a spirit that India as a whole has to march forward."

He concluded: "So I would wish to mention to you that in reporting the affairs of our nation, we must not focus excessively on the negative features, important though it is that the government should deal with them, to take effective action and you have my assurance that wherever such corrective action is required, our government will take that action and will bring the wrong doers to book."

The media has, he said, a very important role to play in a functioning democracy that India is and "let us work together to revitalise the spirit of rejuvenation, spirit of self confidence that we have problems, but we also have credible mechanisms to overcome them."