Media meet: Haryana CM lauds media for its role during Covid pandemic

Chandigarh, April 23

The Haryana Government will enhance the pension of accredited journalists to Rs 11,000 per month, a jump of Rs 1,000, besides linking it to the dearness allowance given to all other government employees.

This would ensure social security of mediapersons, 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’ Organisations here today. The meet was hosted by The Tribune Employees’ Union.

Chairing the session, the CM said his government was also considering additional facilities for journalists.

Stressing the importance of vernacular media, he said it continued to play an important role in dissemination of information at the grassroots level. Lauding the print media for evolving itself according to the times by launching web editions, the CM said even during the days of lockdown when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak, the media continued to disseminate the message of government to the masses and helped curb spread of any misinformation.

The CM later honoured eminent doctors from the region — former PGI Director Dr Jagat Ram, Dr RR Sharma, Prof Rubinder Kaur, Dr Ravneet Kaur and Dr Suchet Sachdev — for their work towards humanity during the pandemic.

Later, delegates of the Confederation of Newspapers and News Agencies Employees Organisations deliberated on the challenges before the media, especially in the post-Covid times. The speakers also spoke about the need for strengthening the unions of journalists and non-journalists and their displeasure with the contractual system of employment.

They also passed a resolution about the need for setting up a new Wage Board for mediapersons, including those from web portals and other electronic media in the fold of the Working Journalists Act and effective implementation of the Majithia Wage Board. The resolution also opposed new labour codes, which are proposed to replace the Working Journalists Act.

The 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 had participated in the two-day meet and today decided to include representatives of The Tribune Employees’ Union in the decision-making body of the Confederation of Newspapers and News Agencies Employees’ Organisations.