Centre approves proposal of Rs 5 lakh each for families of 39 journalists who died due to COVID

New Delhi, February 15

The Centre on Monday approved the proposal of the Press Information Bureau’s Journalist Welfare Committee to provide as financial relief of Rs 5 lakh each to families of 39 journalists who died due to the coronavirus, a panel member said.

The Narendra Modi government has earmarked an additional fund for this purpose for the Journalist Welfare Committee (JWC), and journalists from across India will be covered under the scheme, said the member.

In its meeting, the JWC decided to provide Rs 5 lakh to the family members of 39 deceased journalists.

The JWC meeting was held under the chairmanship of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare. Additional Secretary Neerja Shekhar, Joint Secretary Vikram Sahay and Press Information Bureau (PIB) Principle DG KS Dhatwalia were also present at the meeting.

Santosh Thakur, who is a member of the JWC, Amit Kumar, Umeshwar Kumar and Ganesh Bisht represented journalists in the meeting.

Thakur thanked Prime Minister Modi and Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar for this effort.

Thakur said the JWC also discussed other welfare measures for journalists which include health insurance and life insurance schemes.

The issue of including journalists in the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme was also discussed at the meeting.

Thakur informed that journalists who had some serious illness or have become handicapped while in service can also apply for financial help from the government through the JWC.

Family members of journalists who have died while on duty can also apply for financial aid.

The PIB has given a link on its website where a journalist or his family members can write to the government for help. PTI