27/04/2026
27 April || DCM Chowna Mein assures early rollout of journalists’ pension scheme
Itanagar, Apr 27: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has expressed concern over the prolonged delay in implementing the Arunachal Pradesh Working Journalists’ Pension Scheme (APWJPS)-2020 and assured that necessary steps will be taken to operationalise the scheme at the earliest.
The scheme, announced in the 2019–20 State Budget, has remained unimplemented till today despite being passed in the State Assembly.
Mein acknowledged that the delay stemmed largely from objections at the bureaucratic level but reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the scheme is executed and benefits eligible journalists across the state.
He was responding to concerns raised by the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists during the “Responsible Media Initiative” workshop held on April 25 at the Multi-Purpose Cultural Hall in Namsai on April 25.
Mein observed that although Arunachal Pradesh was among the first to conceptualise such a welfare measure, it is yet to be implemented, even as several other states have moved ahead with similar schemes.
Describing the APWJPS as a progressive policy initiative, Mein said it would provide a measure of financial security to accredited journalists who meet the prescribed criteria. He also commended the union for consistently pursuing the issue and raising it at appropriate forums.
Earlier, APUWJ president Dodum Yangfo reiterated that the union has been persistently following up on the implementation of the scheme. The APWJPS-2020 envisages a monthly pension of ₹25,000 for journalists aged 60 years and above who have completed a minimum of 20 years in the profession.
Yangfo noted that the initiative had served as a model for similar schemes in states such as Manipur, Assam, Haryana, Kerala, Telangana, and Odisha.
He informed that the scheme was discussed and refined through multiple rounds of consultation between APUWJ and the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), with repeated assurances of support from Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the IPR Minister, and the DCM.
“Despite clear legislative intent, the scheme has remained stalled due to bureaucratic objections,” Yangfo said, appealing for early implementation.
Yangfo further said that recent observations by senior officials, including the Chief Secretary and Planning Commissioner, opposing the scheme have caused concern within the journalist fraternity.
The contention that journalists do not retire at 60, he argued, does not reflect the realities of the profession in Arunachal Pradesh. He pointed out that most journalists in the state work without job security, social protection, or employer-backed retirement benefits.
While many continue working beyond 60, it is often driven by economic necessity rather than choice. He added that equating journalists with other professional groups such as NGOs, CBOs, lawyers, or artists is misplaced, stressing that journalism plays a constitutionally significant role in safeguarding democracy.
APUWJ, along with the Arunachal Press Club (APC), had earlier submitted a joint memorandum to CM, DCM, and IPR Minister, urging reconsideration of the scheme. The memorandum highlighted that the fragile media ecosystem in the state dominated by small, resource-constrained organisations cannot shoulder pension responsibilities.
It also noted that low salary structures and the prevalence of freelance and stringer roles exclude many journalists from formal social security mechanisms such as EPFO or LIC-linked contributory schemes.
The union maintained that APWJPS is designed to bridge this gap and provide minimum social security to journalists who have spent decades in public interest reporting under challenging conditions, adding that continued delays undermine the policy vision articulated at the highest levels of the state government.
