BIRATNAGAR: The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Province 1 Committee has decided to institute a fund worth Rs 10 million for the social security of working journalists.

FNJ Province 1 Committee came to this decision after the second plenary of the provincial committee. “This fund will be used for working journalists affected from the pandemic, disasters and other hardships,” informed Lawa Dev Dhungana, the Vice-President of FNJ Province 1 Committee.

“We will manage the entire fund within the tenure of this committee,” said Dhungana. He said that the fund would be a good welfare programme for around 1,300 working journalists from the FNJ Province 1.

Issuing a press release after the second plenary of the FNJ Province 1 Committee, Bibek Gautam, the General Secretary, said that four journalists have succumbed to COVID-19 in the province and 125 have been infected. Likewise, organizational, women, inclusive and Dalit departments have been set up in FNJ Province 1.

General Secretary Bibek Gauatm will lead the organizational department, Vice-President Hima Kumari Chemjong will lead women department and Secretary Santosh Yadav and working committee member PB Diyali will chair inclusive and Dalit departments respectively.

The meeting has also urged the media house to clear the dues of all working journalists and has asked the government to support startup news media outlets run by working journalists. Now, FNJ Provincial Committee will issue identity card for all members of journalists within the province, said General Secretary Gautam.

Likewise, the meeting has requested all the insurance companies to pay the amount claimed by the journalists for COVID-19 insurance