Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral
Porvorim, Goa: The Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ) submitted a memorandum outlining key demands to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant during a pre-budget consultation meeting held at Mantralaya in Porvorim on Friday.
The GUJ delegation, led by president Rajtilak Naik, treasurer Amresh Parab, organising secretary Upendra Naik, and executive committee member Loukik Shilkar, presented the demands in detail before formally handing over the list to the Chief Minister.
Among the primary demands is the enhancement of the monthly pension under the Goa State Journalist Welfare Fund. GUJ has requested that the pension be increased from ₹10,000 per month to ₹15,000 per month, citing rising living costs and the contribution of journalists to society. The union stated that the revised amount would provide much-needed financial security to retired media professionals.
The union has also proposed the introduction of a dedicated housing scheme for working journalists under the Chief Minister’s Patrakar Aawas Yojana. GUJ suggested providing subsidised loans with 3% to 4% interest subvention up to ₹25 lakh for the purchase or construction of houses or plots.
In addition, GUJ called for the revival of the Ex-Gratia scheme for working journalists, with an enhanced financial assistance of ₹10 lakh for bereaved families. Previously, the scheme provided ₹5 lakh to the family of a journalist in the unfortunate event of their death.
Under its “Go Green” demand, GUJ urged the state government to extend the existing EV bike subsidy scheme for working journalists to include EV cars, with an appropriate enhancement in subsidy.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the delegation that the demands would be fulfilled.
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