MEPA meets Guv, raises social security issues

SHILLONG: A nine member delegation of Meghalaya Editors and Publishers Association (MEPA) met the Meghalaya Governor, Banwarilal Purohit on Monday and submitted a six point memorandum to him for the welfare and social security of working and non-working journalists in the State.
The meeting was to ensure the well beings of the media establishments in Meghalaya including the small and marginal units.
Among other things, introduction of social security schemes for working and non-working journalists including their dependents, pension, housing scheme, full reimbursement for medical treatment; bringing out a sound new advertisement policy according to the need of the time; immediate clearance of all advertisement bills pending with different government departments for years together and to clear the bills within three months were raised by MEPA.
It also wanted the Governor to pull up the Shillong based Press Information Bureau which does not perform its duties as mandated by the Government of India.
The MEPA also sought the intervention of the Governor to relax the 25 working days imposed on print media of Meghaklaya by DAVP for the months of December and January on account of Christmas and New Year festivals.
In response, the Governor told the MEPA delegation that he agreed 100 per cent with the points raised by MEPA and has expressed surprise over the current state of affairs in the state.
He assured to write a letter to the chief minister recommending to implement the genuine and important points raised by MEPA for the betterment of the media in Meghalaya.