Hill Post Journalists asks political parties to clear their stand regarding difficulties faced by media persons

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Journalists asks political parties to clear their stand regarding difficulties faced by media persons

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November 21, 2007

By: Sanjeev Awasthi

Dev Bhoomi Himachal Union of Journalists [DBHUJ] has expressed deep concern over the behavior of consecutive state governments which have done nothing for the welfare of Journalists, working in the state. The Union has asked the political parties to clear their stand in their election manifestos as what was their policy regarding the question of welfare of over 1500 journalists families in the state who were leading a hard life in the absence of adequate facilities, wages and other essential facilities.

The state executive of the Union has demanded that an emergency fund should be created in the state for the welfare of Journalists which should be managed jointly by the government officers and Journalist representatives. Government should bring out a media policy in consultation with journalist representatives to provide complete security cover to the Journalists.

The policy should have mandatory provision to pay minimum wages fixed in the policy to the Journalists of all categories in the state by their employer in all circumstances. A contributory pension scheme should be launched for journalists with compulsory contribution of government and the employer news paper / channel etc. The families of Journalists should be brought under social security cover and every member of the family be ensured for ten lacs of rupees.

Attack on journalists be made a non bail able offence. Rules of accreditation be liberalized so all journalists in the state are benefited with the scheme. Free medical facilities be provided to all the Journalists and their families.

Giving details of decisions taken in a DBHUJ meeting Chaired by its State President S. R. Pundir at Nahan today, Mr Gyan Prakash Sharma, State General Secretary said that journalists in the state were serving people with full efficiency, despite all odds. They deserve benefits of welfare schemes like other section in the society, ignoring journalists is ignoring the intellectual class of the society he added. He said that decision of the Union was being conveyed to all the Presidents of the political parties and after going through the manifestoes of political parties the Union would take a decision