Journalists to get more financial benefits in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government on Thursday amended the Odisha State Working Journalists Welfare Fund Rules-2006 to provide more benefits to working journalists in the State.

Following the amendment, the existing Odisha State Working Journalists Welfare Fund Rules-2006 will be called as “Odisha State Working Journalists Welfare Fund Amendment Rule-2020”.

The revised rules will come into effect from the date of publication in the Odisha Gazette.

As per amendment in the journalists welfare fund rules, the Government will sanction ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the family of a working journalist after his/her death.

The financial assistance in addition to Health Insurance benefit will be sanctioned for treatment of heart, kidney, cancer or other critical illness suffered by a working journalist or any of his/her family members if the medical expenditure exceeds Rs 2 lakh Health Insurance Scheme benefit with DMET approval.

As per the sub-rules of Rule-7(1), a working journalist identified by the DIPRO through the Collector will be sanctioned house building loan upto Rs 25 lakh at 3% interest rate.

The subvention will be released annually after repayment of regular installments by the loanee journalist.

Similarly, the working journalists can get loan upto Rs 50,000 towards purchase of two-wheeler and upto Rs 4 lakh for buying four-wheeler at 3% interest rate.

Besides, a working journalist will get financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh in case of permanent incapacitation due to accident, disease or any reason.

In case of death of a working journalist, the financial assistance to the children of deceased will be provided upto Rs 1,500 per month till matriculation and upto Rs 2,500 per month for higher education.

This recurring financial assistance will be provided limiting to actual tuition fee and expenditure towards study materials.

Also, the State Government will bear training coast in the premier media institution like IIMC upto Rs 10,000 per journalist in a 5-year block period.