Discussion Forum on the Role of Journalists in the Current Situation and Fundamental Issues
Kakatpur, 28/07:
A discussion forum was recently held at the sacred site of Maa Gangadevi Temple in Astaranga, Puri district, organized by the Astaranga Media Forum. The focus of the event was the role of journalists in the current socio-political climate and the various fundamental issues they face. The meeting was presided over by Forum President Pramod Kumar Das and witnessed active participation from professional journalists of Astaranga and Kakatpur blocks.
During the discussion, journalists raised key concerns regarding their welfare and rights. They demanded the inclusion of journalists’ parents under the Gopabandhu Health Insurance Scheme and proposed that families already enrolled under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana be brought under the Gopabandhu Scheme as well. There was also a strong plea to include retired journalists in the health scheme and to enact a dedicated Journalist Protection Law by the State Government.
Concerns were also expressed over the increasing number of false and baseless complaints being lodged against journalists at police stations. The participants urged for proper and unbiased investigations into such cases to ensure that media professionals are not harassed in the line of duty.
In addition to these discussions, journalists deliberated on the fundamental issues affecting the Kakatpur and Astaranga regions. They resolved to draw the government’s attention to these problems through persistent media reporting and to work collectively toward practical solutions. The forum concluded with a decision to strengthen the representation of these regional issues through committed journalistic efforts.
The meeting was coordinated by journalist Bijay Behera and attended by several senior media professionals, including Vice President Bipin Das, Prakash Behera, Prasar Khuntia, Manas Ranjan Khandual, Anil Barik, Narendra Chatoi, Rupesh Sahu, Prasanna Jena, Shashikant Tripathy, Tulu Behera, Debadatta Biswal, Chinmay Polei, Sanjay Pati, veteran journalist Kamal Lochan Dixit, Bhagabat Swain, Binod Sethi, Kartik Sahu, Aditya Raut, and many others.
