Press Club seeks inclusion of journalist welfare schemes in upcoming budget

By
Daily Excelsior
-

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 26: Press Club of Jammu (PCJ) has demanded inclusion of journalist welfare schemes and cashless mediclaim policy for working and accredited journalists of the State in upcoming budget to be presented on May 30.
President Press Club of Jammu, Ashwani Kumar along with other office bearers, had recently met Chief Minister  Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu and  submitted about a 100- page report on Journalist Welfare Schemes and Cashless Medicliam policy to CM. Mehbooba Mufti had assured the office bearers of PCJ that these recommendations will be considered.
Ashwani Kumar said that for  last 26 years, Journalists working in strife torn state of Jammu and Kashmir are facing hardship as there is no welfare scheme for scribes.
“Several State Governments, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra  Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, have already created Journalist Welfare Fund”, he added and demanded that same schemes should be initiated in Jammu and Kashmir.
He suggested that the State Government can create this Fund by making one time investment of Rs 2 crore. “In the event of untimely death of a working or accredited or in case a journalist is being rendered incapacitated, his wife or legal heir or dependents may get assistance from this Fund”, he added.
Since, Press Club of Jammu is only legal body of Journalists in the State, two to three members from the Club should be permanent members of the Journalist Welfare Fund Schemes, he further said.
PCJ also urged CM to create Health Insurance Plans to treat serious ailments of an accredited/ working journalists and their family members, spouse and two children below 21 years of age.
The State Government should also take decision to implement the accident insurance scheme for accredited and working journalists upto Rs 10 lakhs.  PCJ has also sought permanent pension of Rs 20,000 per month as pension Scheme for accredited and working journalists with at least 20 years of experience.

WhatsApp Icon Follow our WhatsApp channel