Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 26: Taking initiative for the cause of working and accredited journalists, the Press Club of Jammu has sought pension for the journalists of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and in this connection written a letter to the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.
The letter has been written by Ashwani Kumar, president, Press Club of Jammu wherein he has highlighted the pitiable condition of low paid journalists, particularly print media.
Apprising the Chief Minister of many welfare schemes that have been launched for the working journalists in the States like Rajasthan, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, the president PCJ demanded that similar steps needed to be taken in the State of Jammu and Kashmir for boosting the morale of the working journalists.
He further stated that on January 16, 2017, the State of Assam through a notification, has started “Journalists Pension Scheme” for their working journalists, who have attained 60 years of age and have retired from the job of journalist/photo journalist/correspondent/camera persons (news).
Seeking slew of measures for the journalists of State on the analogy of their counterparts in other States of the country, the letter stated though a number of steps had been taken by the Chief Minister in the past also, yet more needed to be done so as to provide financial security to the journalists in the event of their relinquishing the active job at the time of attaining the age of retirement.