Javadekar assures justice to journalists employed on contract

Pune: Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said here on Sunday that he would look into problems being faced by journalists employed under the contract system.

Expressing his full support to demands by journalists employed on contract basis for higher pay scales on par with regular employees who benefited from the latest wage board recommendations, Javadekar said that he would convene a meeting of all concerned parties to ensure justice. Speaking at an event organised by the Pune Shramik Patrakar Sangh here, the minister said that he was aware of increased workload of journalists employed under the contract system. "My heart goes out to you," he said, promising to look into the hardships of journalists. Earlier, Pune Shramik Patrakar Sangh president Santosh Kulkarni told Javadekar that 80 per cent of journalists who have been employed on a contract basis, with no job security and poor pay, deserved a better deal in keeping with the recommendations of the wage board. Replying to a question, Javadekar said that that the Narendra Modi-led NDA government is committed to the welfare of all journalists, freedom of the press and social media.