AMWJU presses for hiking DAVP advertising rate
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), September 14 2014:
All Manipur Working Journalist Union (AMWJU), in its State report tabled at the national executive committee meeting of the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) held at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, argued that the 'diverse voices' of the country must be kept alive by saving the medium and small newspapers operating from the peripheries of the country and this can be partly done by addressing the disparity in DAVP advertising rates in the country.
Citing the example of Manipur, Ratan Luwangcha, Vice-President of AMWJU, highlighted that newspapers in Manipur enjoy a pathetically low advertising rate as compared to the rest of the country.
While newspapers in Meghalaya are given Rs 100 per column on DAVP advertisement, their Manipur counterparts get a meagre Rs 10 per column.
AMWJU urged IJU to highlight the plight of Manipur's newspapers at appropriate forums to bring relief and argued that a revised DAVP rate for the medium and small newspapers can be offered to those publishers who adhere to the Majithia Wage Broad to uplift the lifestyle of the journalists in line with the minimum wage of the working journalists passed by the verdict of the Supreme Court which makes the Majithia Wage Broad mandatory for all newspaper publishing Houses in the country.
On the second day of the 3-day long executive committee meeting of IJU, AMWJU also highlighted several of its efforts undertaken for the welfare of working journalists in Manipur.
AMWJU Vice President informed the house that the Union has successfully persuaded the State Labour Ministry to constitute the mandatory tripartite committee, comprising the working journalists, publishers and the Govt to finalize the implementation of the Majithia Wage Broad.
Through persistent persuasion and backed up by keen interest shown by the Manipur Chief Minister, allotment of sites for the establishing a Press Housing Colony and the Manipur Press Academy in Imphal by the Manipur Govt were lauded by the national gathering.
Enhancement of Manipur Working Journalists' Pension Scheme from Rs 2000/- to Rs 4000/- also found mention in AMWJU's State report tabled in the National Executive Committee Meeting which is going on at Reddy Bhawanam, Tirupathi, Andra Pradesh where more than 25 State units are participating.
Further, IJU national body accepted AMWJU's proposal to hold its next national executive Committee meeting in Manipur in the month of November 2014.AMWJU's proposal is with an intention to invite the national body of journalists to coincide with the State's tourism event, the Sangai Festival, to compliment the State Govt's effort to draw maximum mileage in national newspapers.
The national meet will wind up on 15th September with a sight-seeing tour of the temple town.
The tour will include a visit to the special economic zone established by the Andhra Govt for speedy economic development of the state.
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