KATHMANDU, July 30: Minister for Information and Communications, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, has said that he would take necessary initiatives on behalf of the ministry to resolve problems of working journalists. 

Receiving a report of the Minimum Wages Fixation Committee at the Ministry today, Minister Basnet said, "Problems of working journalist should be resolved. I have heard that the working journalists do not get appropriate wages. It will be addressed." He said that problems should be resolved through talks in coordination between working journalists and media houses. 

Minister Basnet expressed the view that the role of media would be important in the reforms task being carried out under the ministry. Saying he earlier had put his concern about the Committee's report, Basnet assured to take initiatives to address the issues pointed out by the report by holding consultation with all bodies concerned. 

Similarly, Committee Chairperson Poshan KC said that the report was prepared with the participation of working journalists, employees and workers of 60 districts of all provinces in formal and informal manner. 
According to a survey carried out by the Committee, 32.3 per cent of journalists and media workers are still deprived of minimum wage. Likewise, only 74.2 per cent of journalists received appointment letters. 
The journalists and media workers getting monthly remuneration is 66.9 per cent while around 9.9 per cent are paid once in two months and 23.1 per cent once in three or more months. 
Likewise, 43 per cent of the media institutions were found without a provision of leave for their workers. RSS 

 
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