MWDC submits report to Communications Minister

The Committee for Determining the Minimum Wage has submitted the Working Journalist Media Study Report, 2078 BS and the Working Journalist, Employees and Workers Remuneration Recommendation 2078 BS to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Gyanendra Bahadur Karki. Committee Chairman Rajendra Aryal handed over the reports to Minister Karki at a program organized at the Ministry today.

 Accepting the report, Minister Karki, who is also the spokesperson of the government, said that the role of journalists was important to make the society dynamic. He assured that the ministry would take both the reports submitted by the committee as very important documents and implement the recommendations given in it. Minister Karki said, "We are all members of the same family. We can solve the problems in this area through mutual coordination rather than giving and receiving suggestions."

 On the occasion, President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Bipul Pokharel, urged the committee to immediately increase the salary of journalists by 25 percent despite the need to increase the salaries of journalists by 50 percent on the basis of rising prices, market price and salaries of employees working in other sectors. He also demanded the implementation of the Working Journalists Act and the immediate formation of a mass media academy.

 Chairman of the committee Aryal urged the committee to provide the minimum wage prepared by the committee for the professional rights, interests and service facilities and security of the working journalists, employees and workers working in the media establishment. He also requested each media establishment to set up a welfare fund as per the Working Journalist Act and regulations and also to announce a special relief package for the journalists, employees and workers affected by Covid.

 Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Vaikuntha Aryal and other high officials were also present on the occasion. The two-year term of the current working committee of this committee, which was established as per the Working Journalists Act, is coming to an end from tomorrow.