BackSahara media unit reduces workforce
Sahara reduces its workforce by 205 people as part of a massive restructuring exercise
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New Delhi: The Sahara Group’s media and entertainment division, which operates Hindi news channel Samay and Hindi daily Rashtriya Sahara, on Tuesday reduced its workforce by 205 people as part of a massive restructuring exercise, confirmed a company official.
The company spokesperson termed these as “voluntary exits" based on negotiations.
The restructuring exercise is likely to impact all channels and publications operated by the Sahara Group including entertainment channel Sahara One, movie channel Filmy and news publications like Urdu daily Roznama and Rashtriya Sahara, which have an estimated strength of 1,700 to 1,800 employees. The exercise will continue for the next 2-3 months, the official said, on condition of anonymity.
Of the people who left the company on Tuesday, at least 38 were above the age of 60, the Sahara spokesperson said. “They were working on contract. We gave them and the others a respectable exit instead of firing them," he said, adding that the dues of these employees have been settled.
In November, Sahara appointed Upendra Rai as chief executive and editor-in-chief of Sahara Media. Prior to this appointment, Rai was group editorial advisor, Businessworld magazine. He also served as editor, news director, printer and publisher of Sahara India News Network and resident head, Sahara India Parivar between January 2010 and December 2014.
In September, some employees of Sahara Group, which has interests in finance, infrastructure, housing, media and entertainment and retail, formed a union and threatened a relay hunger strike to press for the payment of delayed salaries. The employees’ union was formed under the name of Sahara India Kamgar Sanghatna.
Sahara chief Subrata Roy and two directors, Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary, have been in Tihar jail since 4 March 2014, having failed to post bail set at ₹ 10,000 crore by the Supreme Court for the company’s non-compliance with an undertaking given to the court that money it received from investors will be refunded.
Sahara has filed a defamation case in a Patna court against Mint’s editor and some reporters over the newspaper’s coverage of the company’s dispute with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Mint is contesting the case.
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