Journalists’ union seeks welfare board

The Himachal Pradesh Union of Journalists (HPUJ), affiliated with the National Union of Journalists, has urged the state government to establish a ‘Journalist Welfare Board’.

Addressing a press conference, HPUJ state president Ranesh Rana said the union has been pressing for the formation of the board for several years, similar to welfare boards created for other communities.

Rana emphasised that the union has been advocating for key issues affecting journalists in the state, including the introduction of a dignified monthly pension for veteran journalists above the age of 60. He pointed out that states like Punjab and Haryana already have such pension schemes in place, and that the HPUJ had submitted draft proposals from these states to the state government. However, he expressed disappointment that no action has been taken so far.

He also highlighted the urgent need for a clear policy for non-accredited journalists and demanded a health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh for all journalists in the state.

In addition, the HPUJ has requested that electricity supplied to Press Club buildings be billed at domestic rates instead of the current commercial tariff.