No payback

Senior labour ministry officials, who usually complain of the press’ casual attitude towards the ministry, were expecting cabinet approval of higher pay for journalists under the wage board would bring some cheer and put the ministry in the limelight. But a disappointed senior official in the ministry said he was surprised that the announcement at a press conference didn’t even raise an appreciative nod. The disgruntled official said he later discovered that only a fraction of journalists were covered by the wage board, prompting him to question their keenness in getting the recommendations approved.