Union Minister assures Support for Senior Journalists Demands
15/03/2026
Miramar,March 14 (KIP)-The Union Minister of State for Renewable Energy, Sri. Shripad Naik, on Saturday said that the Central Government will take steps to ensure adequate social security for senior journalists in the country.
Inaugurating the first national council meeting of SJFI in Goa Science Centre at Miramar on Saturday, he said the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi by SJFI leadership would be taken into account while the government addresses their concerns.
The inaugural session was presided over by Sandeep Dikshit, SJFI, president, who pointed out the need for special steps on the part of the government to ensure social security for members of the fourth estate. He said in most parts of India, there is no social security support for retired journalists.
Dileep Bandekar, Goa's director of Information & Publicity, who spoke, made references to the steps being taken by Goa administration for journalists welfare in the state. In the recent budget, the pension had been hiked from Rs 10, 000 to Rs. 15,000. There are many other measures also in place in the state, he said.
Rajtilak Naik, president of Goa Union of Journalists, Suhasini Prabhugaonkar, SJFI vice president, and others attended the function. A souvenir brought out in connection with the SJFI first conference in Thiruvananthapuram in August last year was released by Union Minister Shripad Naik. Its editor C Gouridasan Nair and other members of the committee who conducted the conference were also felicitated by the Union Minister with shawls.
Reception committee chairman Gurudas Sawal welcomed the gathering and SJFI secretary general N P Chekkutty proposed a vote of thanks.