Restore Working Journalists Act
Media meet of Confederation demands
Chandigarh, April 23: Haryana government will be enhancing the pension given to accredited journalists by Rs 1000 per month to Rs 11,000, besides linking it to the dearness allowance given to all other government employees. This will ensure social security of media persons, declared Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, while presiding over the concluding session of the two day All India Media Meet of the Confederation of Newspapers and News Agencies Employees’ Organizations. The Meet was hosted by The Tribune Employees Union.
Chairing the session, the Haryana Chief Minister also said that his government is considering additional facilities for journalists, which his government will announce in days to come. He stressed on the importance of vernacular media, and said that they continue to play an important role in dissemination of information at the grassroot level. Lauding the print media for evolving itself according to the times, by launching web editions, he said that even during the days of lockdown during the height of COVID 19 pandemic, the media continued to disseminate the message of government to the masses and curb spread of any misinformation.
The CM later honored eminent doctors from the region – former PGI Director Dr Jagat Ram; Dr R R Sharma; Prof Rubinder Kaur; Dr Ravneet Kaur and Dr Suchet Sachdev, – for their work towards humanity during the Pandemic. Earlier, the CM was welcomed by Anil Gupta and Ruchika M Khanna, president and general secretary of The Tribune Employees Union. The Haryana CM also lauded the Union for its work as a socially responsible Union.
Later, delegated of the Confederation of Newspapers and News Agencies Employees Organizations deliberated on the challenges before the media, especially in the post-COVID time. The speakers including Srinivas Reddy, M S Yadav Parmanand Panday, Kamal Joshi, Balwinder Jammu, C S Naidu Ravinder Prasad, Pradip Tiwari and Hemant Tiwari spoke about the need for strengthening Unions of journalists and non journalists; their displeasure with the contractual system of employment; need for a new Wage Board for mediapersons and their opposition to the new labour codes which are proposed to replace Working Journalists Act. All India Federation of PTI Employees, Indian Journalists Union, National Union of Journalists (I), Indian Federation of Working Journalists; All India Newspaper Federation and UNI Workers Union participated in the two day Meet.