IMPHAL, April 25: Indian Journalists`™ Union (IJU) national secretary Geetartha Pathak has earnestly appealed to the State government to support the implementation of the recommendations of the `Majithia Wage Board`™ in the State which has already been accepted by the government of India on October 25, 2011.
Speaking at a press conference held today at the Manipur Press Club, the IJU national secretary stated that the journalist community deserves a decent pay for a `decent living` and enjoy proper pay which is a ppropriate to their efforts made day and night in gathering and processing news reports.
He said the working journalists of the State should stand united and raise their collective voice to fight for their legitimate right.
Considering the present skyrocketing prices of commodities in the market it would be difficult for the State journalists with the minimal standard of pay to even maintain their lives, he said.
The IJU national secretary is on a visit to the State along with Press Council of India member Keshav Dutt Chandola to assess the conditions of the working journalists in the State.
Keshav Dutt said that it would become difficult for the small and medium newspaper establishments in the northeastern region if their respective State governments continue to maintain the low advert rates as compared to the rates of the Directorate of Audio-Visual Publicity rate card.
He highlighted that while the current rate of DAVP advert is Rs 10.69 per square cm, the Manipur government`™s advert rate is a mere Rs 10 per column centimeter which is quite less when compared to the former.
He further appealed to the State government to allocate the advert rate in accordance with the current DAVP rate card in the interest of the journalists and news publishers as a whole and help them to survive without much economic pressure.
The PCI member further appealed to the State governments of the NE region to implement the recommendations of the wage board in the larger interest of the working journalist and also assured that the PCI will always be there to extend any assistance for the welfare of the journalists`™ community.