TN CM Stalin fulfils one more promise by setting up Journalists’ Welfare Board: TUJ seeks representation for unions

R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, FEB 24

The formation of a separate board for the welfare of journalists was announced by Information and Publicity Minister M P Saminathan during the Demand for Grants in December 2021.

The CM had announced during the urban civic poll campaigning that his government would constitute a Journalists’ Welfare Board after the elections. Thus he has fulfilled his one more promise to the journalists.

A Government Order (GO) signed by Mahesan Kasirajan, Secretary, Tamil Development & Information Department, said the the Journalists’ Pension Committee is being dissolved and merged with the new board.

According to the GO issued on Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Journalists’ Welfare Board will have six senior officials from various departments and six representatives from media houses and journalists.

The board will integrate schemes for working journalists and also provide welfare assistance and render support.

The board headed by Saminathan will consist of secretaries from the departments of finance, revenue and disaster administration, housing, labour welfare, land administration commissioner and Director of Information and Public of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).

The non-official members of the board are Sivanthi Adithyan Balasubramanian – Daily Thanthi group, and R M R Ramesh, publisher of Dhinakaran. B Kolappan – The Hindu, S Gavaska r- Theekathir, M Ramesh-Puthiya Thalaimurai, and Lakshmi Subramanian-The Week, who hails from Aranmanai Siruvayal in Karaikudi.

TUJ demands representation for Journalist Unions

Commenting on the constitution of JWB, Tamilnadu Union of Journalists (TUJ) state president DSR Subhash said, “There is no representation for the journalist unions.  We urge the government to reconstitute the Board by giving due representation to us on the board. This will make the board a fullfleged one.”