GUWAHATI, Oct 5 - The Journalists� Forum Assam (JFA) has urged the Union Information & Broadcasting Minister and the Prasar Bharati Board to introduce a foolproof system to ensure timely payments to the casual news workers and also introduce strict accountability so that officials responsible for delayed payments are punished.
In a memorandum signed by its president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria and sent to the Union Minister, the Prasar Bharati Chairman and other officials, the JFA said since they are casual and unprotected news workers, nobody is worried about their remuneration.
�It is nobody�s business that they should get paid and that too timely. Till October 4, 2016, they were yet to get the dues of July 2016, not to speak of August and September, 2016. Since there is no accountability, nobody is bothered. Repeated requests to those who can do anything fall on deaf ears,� Barua said.
Referring to another anomaly, the JFA said the contract a casual worker is required to sign should be made before the start of his or her engagement in work. �But here the reverse is true. The contract is given to be signed at least one month later. Numerous requests for the contract to be signed before the start of duty have always been ignored. This further delays the payment,� it added.
