Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has accepted several proposals presented by the Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ), announcing significant initiatives for the welfare of journalists and promoting media education in the state.
In his budget speech on Wednesday, CM Sawant declared the government’s support for the establishment of GUJ Journalism Clubs in colleges across Goa. The initiative aims to foster journalism as a career choice among students and promote media literacy.
Additionally, the Chief Minister announced the extension of the government’s apprenticeship program to registered media houses. Under this scheme, one apprentice per registered media house will be allocated through the Department of Information and Publicity, Government of Goa, providing aspiring journalists with hands-on training.
Further extending support to journalists, Sawant also declared the provision of a full family pension equivalent to the journalist pension amount of ₹10,000 per month under the Goa State Working Journalist Welfare Scheme. This move acknowledges the invaluable contributions of journalists and ensures financial stability for their families.
The GUJ welcomed the welfare benefits announced in the budget. The union also expressed its intent to submit a separate proposal to the government focusing on the upskilling of full-time working journalists in the state.
GUJ Delegation and Proposals
Earlier, a delegation from the Goa Union of Journalists, led by President Rajtilak Naik and Treasurer Amresh Parab, met with the Chief Minister to present a list of demands. Their key proposals included:
- Journalism Clubs: Establishment of GUJ Journalism Clubs in colleges across Goa to promote journalism education.
- Enhanced Pension: Increasing the journalist’s monthly pension amount from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 with a primary focus on providing a decent family pension.
- Apprenticeship Program: Expanding the government’s apprenticeship scheme to cover all Goa-based registered media houses, enabling Goan youth to receive practical journalism training for a year with a stipend.
- Housing and Office Space: Proposals for providing housing facilities for full-time working journalists and establishing new office premises for the Goa Union of Journalists, in addition to the planned Patrakar Bhavan.
The government’s positive response to the GUJ proposals marks a significant step towards journalist welfare and nurturing young talent in the field of media and communication.
