Senior journalists in western Odisha demand pension scheme as High Court sets three-month deadline

Senior journalists gathered in Sambalpur to press the state government for a pension scheme for retired and soon-to-retire journalists, a demand that has been pending since 2022 and is now subject to a three-month deadline from the Orissa High Court.

The zonal conference, held at the Journalists’ Building under the aegis of the Sambalpur District Journalists Association, drew participants from Sambalpur, Baragada, Jharsuguda, Debagada, Subarnapur, Balangir and Boudh. The meeting took place on a Sunday, as noted in the report, and was covered by PNN with a timestamp of August 25th, 2026, 09:47 IST. Sambalpur District Journalists Association president Subas Chandra Panigrahi presided over the proceedings, while retired journalist Arjun Ranjan Panda attended as the chief guest.

Odisha Senior Journalists Association state president Kahnu Charan Nanda addressed the assemblage, emphasizing that pensions were essential to prevent financial hardship among journalists. He argued that the benefit would strengthen journalism’s credibility and encourage younger people to enter the profession. Nanda further pointed out that pension schemes for retired journalists have already been introduced in about 19 states and Union territories, urging Odisha to provide similar benefits, and noted that the scheme remains unimplemented in the state.

Why has the demand reached the courts?

The association has discussed the issue with the government since 2022 and approached the Orissa High Court, which directed the state to introduce a pension scheme for journalists. After the directive was not implemented, the association filed a contempt petition. On June 23, the high court gave the government three months to resolve the issue, setting a deadline that has intensified the call for action.

Who attended the Sambalpur conference?

Besides Panigrahi and Panda, the meeting was attended by Odisha Senior Journalists Association vice president Pradipta Choudhury, general secretary Ashutosh Behera, senior adviser Devendra Singh, organising secretary Biplab Mohanty, and executive committee members Diptimayee Kar, Amareswar Das and Kuntala Behera. District Journalists Association vice president Kishore Sahu introduced the guests.

The gathering underscored the widespread concern among working journalists across the region. Participants from Sambalpur expressed their solidarity with colleagues from Baragada, Jharsuguda, Debagada, Subarnapur, Balangir and Boudh, highlighting that the demand for a pension scheme is not limited to a single district but reflects a statewide sentiment.

Subas Chandra Panigrahi, in his role as president of the Sambalpur District Journalists Association, thanked the attendees for their participation and reiterated the association’s commitment to pursuing the pension demand through all available channels, including dialogue with the government and judicial intervention.

Arjun Ranjan Panda, the retired journalist who served as chief guest, shared his personal perspective on the financial uncertainties faced by those who have spent decades in the newsroom, reinforcing the argument that a pension would provide much-needed security.

Kahnu Charan Nanda, speaking on behalf of the Odisha Senior Journalists Association, emphasized that the lack of a pension scheme places retired journalists at risk of economic distress, which in turn could affect the overall quality and independence of journalistic work.

He repeated that pension schemes for retired journalists have been introduced in about 19 states and Union territories, and that Odisha’s failure to adopt such a measure leaves the state lagging behind its peers.

Nanda also stressed that providing pensions would not only safeguard the livelihoods of veteran journalists but would also serve as an incentive for young people considering a career in journalism, thereby strengthening the profession’s future.

The association’s legal strategy has been consistent since 2022. After numerous discussions with state officials yielded no concrete outcome, the group turned to the Orissa High Court, seeking a judicial directive to compel the government to act.

The court’s initial direction to introduce a pension scheme was met with inaction, prompting the association to file a contempt petition. The subsequent ruling on June 23, which granted the government a three‑month window to comply, has become a focal point of ongoing advocacy.

District Journalists Association Vice President Kishore Sahu, who facilitated the introductions, noted that the presence of senior leaders from the state association and the Sambalpur unit demonstrated a unified front.

Executive committee members Diptimayee Kar, Amareswar Das and Kuntala Behera, along with senior adviser Devendra Singh and organising secretary Biplab Mohanty, all voiced their support for the pension demand during the conference.

General secretary Ashutosh Behera and vice president Pradipta Choudhury echoed the sentiments expressed by Nanda, underscoring that financial security for journalists is a matter of both justice and professional integrity.

The conference concluded with a resolution to continue pressing the state government for immediate implementation of a pension scheme, to monitor the June 23 deadline closely, and to prepare further legal steps if the government fails to act within the allotted three months.

As the August 25th, 2026, report from PNN indicates, the issue remains active, with journalists across Sambalpur and the surrounding districts awaiting a decisive response from the Odisha administration.

Orissa POST – Odisha’s No.1 English Daily highlighted the story, noting that the pension demand has become a recurring theme in regional journalism circles.

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