Raveen Thukral, media advisor to CM, at installation ceremony of Patiala Media Club Government Council
Patiala, May 24, 2018: Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's media advisor Raveen Thukral today said that the Punjab government was committed to welfare of journalists.
Soon after taking over the affairs of state, the cabinet of Captain Amarinder Singh passed resolution exempting journalists from paying toll tax on the roads of state, he said at the installation ceremony of governing council of Patiala Press Club.
He shared the congratulatory message of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh with the Patiala Press Club on formation of its new council and announced giving Rs 10 lacs grant to the Club. He added that the state government has worked a lot towards welfare of journalists and CM Captain Amarinder Singh has more elaborate plans for the purpose.
Responding to memorandum given by the Patiala Press Club, the media advisor stated that government was working on new policy and soon journalist's demands will be accepted and implemented. He also asserted them of health insurance for journalists.
On the demands of journalists seeking PUDA plots for media fraternity, Thukral said PUDA has certain quota for journalists. If still the journalists wish to get a land and raise a colony of their own, the Punjab government can help them in CLU (Change of Land Usage) and other formalities.
He also stated that he has been a journalist himself, is still a journalist and will always remain so and hence was well aware of the hardships media fraternity faces. He added that he was always available for the journalists.
Thukral also released sticker of the Patiala Media Club. Patiala Media Club also honored him.
Earlier welcoming the media advisor, the newly elected president Gagan Teja said she was proud to be the first ever woman president of a Patiala Media Club and wanted to work for betterment of media persons. She said that contrary to popular belief that women in media face challenges, she has been able to rise due to help from her media brethren.
ADC (G) Poonamdeep Kaur said that work on development of Patiala was going on at a fast pace and hoped that the media will give a positive coverage to these aspects. DPRO Mr. Ishwinder Singh Grewal said that as per Punjab govt. policies all kinds of possible facilities were being extended to journalists. Vote of thanks presented senior member Mr. Aman Sood and stage was conducted by Mr. Parmeet Singh.
Senior Vice President Navdeep Dhingra, Club Cashier Gurpreet Singh Chattha, Vice President Khushveer Toor, Joint Sec. Sanjay Verma, Yogesh Dheer and Bharat Batish (Bhushan) and Press Secretary Kanwarinder Singh were present on the occasion and apart from these Jaswinder Singh Dakha, Gagandeep Singh Ahuja, Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Ram Singh Bang, Amarjit Singh Waraich, Ravel Singh Bhinder, Arvind Srivastava, Baljinder Sharma, , Amarbir Singh Walia, Suresh Kamra, Karam Prakash, Rajesh Sachar, Anu Albert, Vijay Sharma, Prem Verma, Sushank, Ajay Sharma, Ranjit Singh Rana Rakhra, Pargat Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Gurwinder Singh Aulakh, Dharminder Singh Sidhu, Mandeep Singh Kharoud, Varun Saini, Sukhwinder Singh, Gulshan Sharma, Rahul Sharma, Harmeet Sodhi, Balwinder Singh Bhullar, Jagtar Singh, Pradeep Sharma, Rajesh Aggarwal, Harinder Sharda, Harjeet Singh Nijjar, Jasbir Singh Multani, Ram Sarup Panola, Mohan Lal, Sandeep Turna and other office-bearers of the club and other journalists were also present.