April 02, 2018: Ensuring politics free governance, Chief Minister Biplab Deb today hailed the constructive role of the local media and said, apart from journalism, the media persons have to perform their responsibilities as a citizen too.
“I believe, there media has a huge role to play as fourth pillar of the democracy. All four pillars need to work together to save democracy,” he said.
He was speaking at a programme in Agartala Press Club today in which Deb handed over Rs two lakh to ailing scribe Biswajit Sharma.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that he had already approved a proposal for increasing the pension for retired journalists from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 10,000.
Two veteran editors- Pradip Datta Bhowmik of Dainik Sambad and Subal Kumar Dey of Syandan Patrika, along with convener (ad-hoc) of Agartala Press Club Pranab Sarkar and secretary of ICA department M.L. Dey attended the programme.
Both the veteran editors appealed to the Government to ensure fear-free environment for the journalists. On behalf of Agartala Press Club, Pranab Sarkar handed over a memorandum comprising 8-point charter of demands to the Chief Ministers.
The demands included modernization of Agartala Press Club, improvement in professional excellence of journalists, free accommodation for homeless working journalists, introduction of professional excellence awards for media professionals and free health insurance coverage to all journalists.
Earlier, The Chief Minister was felicitated in the programme.
