ALA Speaker attends programme as chief guest
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Press Correspondents’ Union (APCU), a government-registered journalists’ organization of the state, organized a day-long programme at the Gauhati Press Club to mark the National Press Day, which is observed to commemorate the founding day of the Press Council of India (PCI).
In today’s National Press Day programme, the APCU felicitated three senior journalists. Consulting editor of NKTV Plus Pranay Bordoloi, senior journalist of Axomiya Pratidin Bhaben Dutta, and news editor of Dainik Janambhumi Nitul Baruah. The Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Biswajit Daimary, felicitated the trio on behalf of the APCU.
Addressing the media fraternity, Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary said, “The sacrifices by the journalists will be always remembered as they work day and night to gather news. The journalists cannot even give time to their family members during their professional lives.” The Speaker also appealed to the journalists’ fraternity to publish positive news items through which society would benefit.
Today’s open session of the National Press Day was presided over by APCU president Swapan Kumar Rabha. Those present on the occasion included senior journalists Prakash Mahanta of Axomiya Pratidin and working president of APCU Mousamjyoti Baishya. Earlier in the morning, those present paid tribute to the 32 journalists killed in Assam since 1991.
On the occasion of National Press Day, APCU also demanded the reintroduction of the pension scheme for journalists. In the last few years, the state government has provided pensions to a maximum of 20 journalists. But in 2023, the state government has not yet published the official advertisements for the journalists’ pension scheme. Usually, on the eve of Independence Day, the Director of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) declares the names of the selected journalist pensioners.
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