KATHMANDU: Journalism sector has expressed dissatisfaction over the budget announcement that Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel presented at the parliament on Saturday, stating that it did not include any significant plan for the media sector.

In his comment over the budget estimates for the fiscal year 2016/17, Federation of Nepali Journalists President Mahendra Bista said journalists were not much encouraged by the new budget.

Though the 50 per cent concession in government hospital fees was a welcome proposal, no effort was made for the development of journalists and the journalism sector. "It was unfortunate that senior journalists allowance, journalists' insurance and the media academy were forgotten", he said.

Press Chautari Nepal President Ganesh Basnet said the rate of public welfare advertisements should have been increased and added that enforcement of the Working Journalists Act and capacity building of Rastriya Samachar Samiti should have been included.

It may be noted that the budget talks about the professional and organisational reforms of the state-owned Nepal Television, Radio Nepal and Gorkhapatra Corporation, but nothing about the RSS.

Press Union General Secretary Ajaya Babu Siwakoti said it was unfortunate that nothing was included to encourage the media with small investments and to promote self-employment. It was the most disappointing budget so far, as far as the the media sector is concerned, he said.

Former President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists Taranath Dahal expressed concerns over the ignorance about the decision taken earlier to transform Nepal Television and Radio Nepal into a public broadcasting institution.

The government seemed to be maintaining further control on the government media rather than giving them autonomy, Dahal said.

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