THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Jamshedpur, Dec 16: Odisha Governor Raghubar Das has urged the new state government to address the unmet needs of journalists and complete pending welfare plans.
Speaking at the Kolhan Division Level Honor Ceremony-2024, organized by the Press Club of Jamshedpur, he emphasized the critical role of journalists and the need for their welfare. The event, held at NH Hill Hotel on Sunday, brought together journalists and dignitaries from the region.
Reflecting on past efforts for journalists’ welfare
Reflecting on his tenure as Jharkhand’s Chief Minister, Das expressed pride in meeting and honouring journalists and highlighted his efforts to introduce journalist-friendly initiatives like housing schemes and health insurance. He lamented that some of these schemes remained incomplete due to a change in government and urged the new administration to prioritize their completion.
Das also stressed the importance of supporting the families of deceased journalists, recalling his initiative to provide ₹5 lakh financial aid to bereaved families and advocating for the revival of such measures.
The ceremony featured speeches by notable journalists, including Ganesh Mehta of Hindustan and U.N. Pathak of Dainik Jagran, who discussed the evolving challenges faced by media professionals.
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Journalists awarded for excellence
Awards were presented in various categories: in Print Media (Hard Story), Rohit Singh won first prize, followed by Santosh Mishra and Uttam Mahato. In Print Media (Feature Story), Parvinder Bhatia took the top spot, with Rishabh Srivastava and Raja Karmakar securing second and third places.
Sudarshan Sharma won first place in Print Media Photography, followed by Md. Parvez and Anup Mishra. In Electronic Media, Vijay Sahu clinched first place, with Prashant Singh Rajput and Prabhanjan Kumar finishing second and third. In the Digital Media Portal category, Akash Kumar won first prize, while Charanjit Singh and Md. Shahzada secured second and third.
The event also recognized 26 senior journalists, 17 families of deceased journalists, and 19 supporting institutions and individuals for their contributions to journalism.
The program began with a presidential address by Sanjeev Bhardawaj, President of the Press Club of Jamshedpur, and was conducted by Kulwinder Singh, with Vikas Srivastava delivering the vote of thanks.
Attendees included Press Club Vice President Rakesh Singh, Sumit Jha, Joint Secretary Amit Tiwari, Treasurer Manman Pandey, and other prominent members. Governor Das concluded by emphasizing the need for continued efforts to empower journalists and ensure their welfare.
