MEPA asks Govt to initiate welfare schemes for journos

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Editors and Publishers Association (MEPA) has asked the State government to emulate the example of Assam in providing various benefits to journalists.
The Congress-led Assam Government recently decided to provide Journalists’ Family Benefit Fund amounting to Rs.2 lakh to those who are in the profession for more than 3 years. Besides, the Assam Government will also give a monthly pension of Rs 5,000 to journalists who are above 60 years of age, MEPA said quoting media reports.
Bringing this to the notice of the State Government, MEPA president R M Shabong urged the Chief Minister to follow the good example shown by the Assam Government for the welfare of the media persons.
MEPA also questioned the delay in releasing the Journalists Welfare Fund meant for the ailing journalists in the State.
“Few ailing journalists had applied for financial support from Meghalaya Government from Journalists Welfare Fund (JWF), but in vain”, Shabong pointed out.
Rs 5 crore pending
In a separate letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, MEPA said it is annoyed over the undue delay over the pending dues of Rs 5 crore in terms of advertisements released to the local newspapers.
“Even the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, has failed to release the pending bills for more than a year now and the amount would be over Rs 50 lakh,” MEPA said.
MEPA pointed out that if the state government can spend crores of rupees for organizing festivals, there should not be any more delay in clearing the pending bills.