SEJON declines govt. grant worth Rs 10 million

Kathmandu: The Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON) has decided not to accept Rs 10 million in grant allocated to it by the government for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26.

The grant was outlined in Subtitle 21 of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s annual development programme. However, the SEJON’s executive committee, convened here on Tuesday, unanimously agreed to reject the grant, according to SEJON’s President Sujan Oli.

Chairperson Oli further clarified that the SEJON neither requested the grant from the Ministry nor has accepted any unconditional grant from the Ministry.

The organisation that has been championing the cause of promoting fiscal and budget discipline and effective use of public funds explained that accepting such a grant would contradict its institutional legacy and long-standing values.

Issuing a press statement, the SEJON said at the time when the government is grappling with fiscal resources constraints, the government ought to heavily invest in addressing citizens’ basic needs thereby improving their livelihoods.

“We, as an umbrella organization of responsible journalists, deem accepting the tax payers’ money against our professional ethics and dignity that should be utilized for the greater good of the citizens instead,” read the statement.