Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has reconstituted the composition of Committee on Journalist Welfare Scheme and Central Press Accreditation Committee. Journalists are made members of the Journalists Welfare Committee for the first time.
Central Press Accreditation Committee is chaired by Principal Director General, PIB with Representative from Press Council of India, Representative from News Broadcasters Association as its members. Other members include Shri Prashant Mishra, Dainik Jagran, Smt Navika Gupta, Times Now, Shri Kanchan Gupta, ABP News, Shri J Gopikrishna, The Pioneer and Smt Smita Prakash, ANI. The members of the Committee have a tenure of 2 years and shall meet once in a quarter or more frequently.
The composition of Committee on Journalist Welfare Scheme has been made leaner for its efficient functioning. Now only Secretary (I&B), Joint Secretary (P&A), Principal Director General, PIB would be official members. For the first time, journalists are also made members of the Committee. Six Journalists viz, Shri Vikas Bhadauria, Smt Richa Anirudh, Shri Ashok Upadhyay, Shri Sujit Thakur, Ms. Sipra Das, Shri Ravindra Singh were made as nonofficial members of the Committee on Journalist Welfare Scheme. The term of official members of the Committee will be for a period of two years. This initiative will benefit the aggrieved parties by giving support in a time-bound manner.
For further details on the composition of the committee and modified guidelines visit http://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/JWS%20New%20guidelines_0.pdf
Background on Journalist Welfare Scheme:
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has recently increased the provision for Journalist welfare scheme by fivefold to Rs. 1 crore in BE 2018 – 19 from Rs.20 lakh in 2017-18. The scheme aims to provide one-time ex-gratia relief on an urgent basis to journalists and their families in the event of extreme hardship. This scheme covers journalists accredited to PIB / State Governments / UTs or non-accredited journalists working for a minimum period of five continuous years either whole time or part time as news editor, reporter, photographer, cameramen, photojournalist, freelance journalist.
The financial assistance available under this scheme is up to Rs. 5 lakh to the family on account of the death of a journalist, up to Rs. 5 lakh to the journalists in case of permanent disability, up to Rs. 3 lakh towards the cost of treatment of major ailments which is not covered by CGHS or any other insurance/health schemes.
