IMPHAL, March 3 - The Manipur Government is planning to increase the monthly pension for retired scribes in the State soon. A Cabinet memo is being prepared in this regard, said Information and Public Relations Minister Th Biswajit while responding to a question by Opposition Congress MLA Surjakumar Okram in the ongoing Assembly session on Saturday.
�The preparation to table the Cabinet memo is on,� the minister said and added: �It will be implemented once it is approved.�
The monthly pension for retired journalists in Manipur is Rs 4,000 and it will be increased to Rs 10,000, he said. Similarly, family pensions (for deceased journalists) will be increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per month.
According to official sources, around 17 retired journalists are drawing pensions in the State. The retirement age of journalists is 60 years.
Besides this, under the State Journalist Welfare Scheme, an amount ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh is also provided for medical treatment of scribes.
Recently, journalists and newspaper hawkers were also provided benefits under the popular State Health Scheme called the �Chief Minister-gi Hakshelgi Tengbang� which provides medical cover up to Rs 2 lakh per family per year for treatment of seven critical diseases.
Responding to a question on status of the establishment of a media park in Manipur, the minister said that land has been earmarked at Langjing Achouba village in Imphal West district and the allotment process is under process.
He, however, informed that there is no proposal to provide housing loans to working journalists and educational assistance to children of deceased journalists.
