GULBARGA: Karnataka State Scheduled Castes /Scheduled Tribes Journalists Association has urged the State Government to extend benefits to the dalit journalists under the 18 per cent budget of various departments.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, association president Shankar Kodla complained that the government had neglected the welfare of dalit journalists and there was no encouragement whatsoever for their advancement. He said the association executive committee at its recent meeting had adopted a few resolutions and the same had been forwarded to the government.

According to a resolution, the fund from the 18 per cent budget should be directly used for the benefit of the newspapers included in the media list. ‘‘The government should issue an order to this effect immediately’’ he added.

Welcoming the decision of the government to establish a media centre to be manned by an SC or ST person in the selected district centres, the association in its resolution demanded the media centre should be allowed to be managed only by an SC or ST journalist whose paper had been included in the media list. A proposal in this regard had been made at the State-level conference of the SC/ST journalists held in Gulbarga recently.

Another resolution urged the government to consult the association before taking any decision on the matters relating to dalit journalists and nominate association members to various governmental bodies. The other demands include two-page government ads per month for all newspapers finding place in the media list, appointment of an IAS officer as the director of information department and conferment of awards to SC/ST editors.