The members of Senior Journalists' Association, Odisha (SJAO) in a memorandum to Lord Sri Jagannath have prayed for imparting good sense to the Government to provide pension to the scribes after retirement. Lighting a holy lamp at the Lions’ Gate of the Jagannath Temple here, the senior scribes have handed over a letter to a servitor in favour of the Trinity.

The peculiar step of fulfilling demands of monthly pension, besides social security for them came on Friday, when around 60 senior journalists from various parts of the State assembled in Puri to chart their future action plan. Bringing a unanimous resolution in the executive body meeting, the scribe body urged the Government to take immediate steps on their petition already submitted two months ago.

“We have already given a petition to the Chief Minister demanding a monthly pension like other States are paying to their journalists. We have already supplied all support documents to the CMO,” said SJAO president Kahnu Nanda, adding that 21 States with three Union Territories have already been paying pension benefits to the concerned journalists. Raising concern over the delay in Odisha, Nanda said they would wait a month and then move the Orissa High Court.

Worthwhile to mention here that the SJAO has already convened three meetings with I and PR senior officials in the last two months. While the petition is under consideration of CMO, the SJAO is hopeful of a positive response. Even the officials have given assurance of good news from the Government, said Nanda.  A month ago, the Jagatsinghpur Collector instructed by the 5T Secretary had convened a meeting with them and submitted a report to the CMO, informed Nanda.

Besides, SJAO also appointed Saroj Kumar Mishra and Laxminarayan Patnaik as president and general secretary for Puri district, respectively.