Pressing for a five-point charter of demands, journalists under the banner of the Odisha Patrakar Sangha staged a dharna in front of the Assembly here on Friday.
The demands include provision of insurance for all working journalists, Government quarters for them, land for establishment of journalist colony at district and block headquarters, monthly pension of Rs 5,000 to retired working journalists and their safety and liberty.
labour leader Nabakishore Mohanty, joining the protest rally, said the State Government should take suitable steps to fulfil the enlisted demands. Sangha State president Surendra Sahu said all the demands highlighted through memorandums have been submitted to the district Collectors at district level.
Journalists from various districts, including Cuttack, Rayagada, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Jagatsinghpur, Gajpati, Malkangiri and Koraput joined the dharna. Sangha general secretary Abinash Mishra, treasurer Satyabadi Nayak, Bhubaneswar district president Amulaya Jena and vice-president Hara Das were present, among others.
