Mamata expresses concern over retrecnhment of working

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday expressed her concern over retrenchment of working journalists and said the state government would come up with a statutory law to ensure job guarantee for them.

Banerjee asked the Kolkata Press Club to draft the law and submit it to the government's concerned department for studying it before tabling the bill for legislation.

"Journalists are losing jobs in many places. One day you will find a new channel and the next day you will hear that it has shut down operations. Once when I had helped a television channel, an agency had sent me a letter asking why I had helped it. The reason why I did it is that we are a humane government - if a journalist going through hard times and seeks help we don't refuse," Banerjee told reporters after inaugurating the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the Club.

"I want the Press Club to set up a technical committee and draft a law in this regard and send it to my government. We will pass it in the Assembly. This law will help many journalists in the future," she said.

She announced the second list of 69 retired journalists whose name have been for monthly pension of Rs 2500.

Banerjee also donated Rs 1,00,001 from the royalty she receives from books written by her to the Club.

She also offered a plot of land in the city to the Press Club for its permanent building, besides another for a residential complex for journalists.

The Kolkata Press Club was established in 1945 and is the oldest Press Club of working journalists in the sub continent. A series of programmes has been organised to celebrate its platinum jubilee.