Chandigarh, September 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
As part of its preparations to finalise the party’s election roadmap, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) Manifesto Committee held a detailed consultation with representatives of the Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union, affiliated with the Indian Journalists Union, at Punjab Congress Bhawan, Sector 15, Chandigarh.
The meeting was chaired by Manifesto Committee Chairman and Member of Parliament Dr Amar Singh. A delegation of senior journalists representing print, electronic, digital and desk media presented a 13-point charter of demands on behalf of nearly 5,000 working journalists across Punjab.
The delegation highlighted what it described as the long-standing neglect of media professionals and said existing welfare provisions remained accessible only to a limited section of the journalist community.
Among the key demands were restructuring the existing annual pension of Rs 12,000 on the Haryana model and extending it to all accredited field journalists as well as desk and editorial staff. The journalists also sought an increase in health insurance coverage from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, along with seamless cashless treatment.
Other demands included free bus travel on the Haryana pattern, increasing the Chandigarh government housing quota for journalists from 15 to 50 units, allocation of dedicated housing plots for journalists across districts, and timely issuance of pending accreditation cards.
The delegation also sought the constitution of a permanent Accreditation Committee and safeguards against politically motivated FIRs through mandatory preliminary inquiries by an officer of SP rank or above.
Dr Amar Singh assured the delegation that if the Congress forms the next government, the party would incorporate the legitimate demands into its policy framework and prioritise their implementation.
The delegation was led by Indian Journalists Union National President Balwinder Singh Jammu and Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union President Jai Singh Chhibber. Others present included General Secretary Santokh Gill, Chandigarh Chapter President and State Treasurer Bindu Singh, Chandigarh Press Club Treasurer Jagtar Singh Bhullar, Jagsir Singh Sandhu, Davinder Singh Bhangu, Balraj Singh Raja, Mohinder Pal Singh Rai, Nirmal Singh Pandori of Barnala, Amarjit Singh Bains of Ropar and Palwinder Singh.
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