Centre grants financial assistance of five lakh rupees to 35 families of journalists under ‘Journalist Welfare Scheme’
The Central Government has approved a proposal of the Journalist Welfare Scheme Committee to provide financial relief to the families of 35 journalists who have lost their lives. This includes 16 families of journalists who died of Covid-19. The families will be provided with the assistance of up to five lakh rupees.
The Journalist Welfare Scheme, JWS Committee headed by Secretary, Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Apurva Chandra also recommended assistance to two journalists suffering from permanent disability and to five journalists for their medical treatment of major ailments as per the JWS guidelines. The committee approved total assistance of one crore and 81 lakh rupees during the meeting.
Under the scheme, assistance has been provided to 123 families of the journalists so far, who have lost their lives due to Covid-19. Assistance is also provided to journalists in case of permanent disability, serious accidents and major health ailments. During the last financial year, 134 journalists and their families were provided assistance under various categories amounting to six crore 47 lakh rupees.
The JWS committee meeting was attended by Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau Jaideep Bhatnagar, Joint Secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry along with the journalist representatives of the Committee.
