Assam Chief Minister’s Media Adviser Hrishikesh Goswami on Monday formally launched the Assam Pension Scheme for Journalists, instituted by the Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Assam by handing over pension authority letters to 20 retired journalists of the State in a programme held at Chief Minister’s Conference Hall at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati.
The selected twenty retired journalists will receive Rs eight thousand per month as pension.
The retired journalists who were awarded the pension include Krishna Chandra Kalita, Rama Shankar Rai, Ratneswar Talukdar, Dwipen Dutta, Devendra Kumar Pandey, Goverdhan Prasad Atal, Nirupama Borah, Promod Kumar Singh, Pabitra Gogoi, Prakash Kumar Jha, Dharani Kalita, Udayan Biswas, Bhakti Roy, Garga Ram Barman, Probodh Chandra Bordoloi, Amal Kumar Gupta, Keshab Kalita, Ajit Kumar Patowary, Geetartha Pathak and Binoy Bhushan Sen.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister’s Media Adviser Hrishikesh Goswami said that the journalists make the people conscious and work as watch dog of the society.
“The journalists endure lots of hardship while performing their duties and it was a significant moment for the journalists fraternity as a new welfare scheme for them in the form of retirement benefits was rolled out in the State,” Goswami added.
Stating that the State Government led by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is taking up various welfare initiatives for the journalists, the Media Adviser assured that such endeavours would continue in future also.
Moreover, referring to the poor health condition of former editor of Saptahik Janambhumi, Manoram Baruah, he also informed that the State Government would take steps for providing pension or one time financial assistance to the ailing retired journalist.
Director of Information & Public Relations, Rajiv Prakash Baruah in his speech highlighted various schemes being implemented by the Department for welfare of the journalists.
He also sought cooperation from the journalists’ fraternity in taking the message of the welfare schemes amongst all working journalists of the State.
Secretary of the Information & Public Relations Department, Madhurima Sen Baruah also spoke on the occasion.
Several senior journalists of the State and officials of the Information & Public Relations Department were also present in the programme.