Bhubaneswar: Now the journalists will be allowed to visit Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar as Odisha Government lifted the restriction imposed by the previous BJD government in February 2013. 

As per an official notification released by the I&PR department, the media personnel belonging to newspapers/periodicals/electronic media (TV) empanelled with the I&PR department and alternatively with CBC can apply for Secretariat entry pass for limited purpose. 

The representatives of Press/Media include editors, reporters, correspondents, journalists/freelance journalists, photo journalists, cameramen etc.

The applications will be submitted online. The entry pass will be issued to jouranlists following vereification and endorsement by the I&PR department and subsequently approved by the Home department on e-Pravesh portal. 

The I&PR department set the guidelines for issue of Secretariat Admission Pass. 

Eligibility to apply: 

1. Editors of all I&PR empanelled daily newspapers/periodicals and news editors of TV channels having CBC rate contract. 

2. All accredited journalists. 

3. One State Level representative of each of the national news agencies duly authorised by the appropriate authority of the agency and one reporter/representative from a regional news agency having paying subscribers sperad over not less than 10 districts of the state. 

4. One journalist/reporter from each of the dailies empanelled with I&PR department under authorisation by respective Editors. 

5. Crew members comprising of one reporter and a cameraman from each CBC empanelled TV channel. 

How to apply

1. The eligible applicant will apply for issue/renewal of Secretariat pass on the designated web portal online with scanned copies of required documents to be uploaded thereupon. 

2. The accredited journalists while applying on the portal will upload a scanned copy of the valid accreditation card. 

3. The Editors can apply with copes of the identity card issued by the I&PR department along with proof of present residential address. 

4. Representatives of national and regional news agencies authorised for the purpose while applying will give the letters of authority issued by trespective authorities along with proof of present address. 

5. The reporters/correspondents/journalists/cameramen of the empanelled dailies/periodicals and TV channels while applying need to file the followowing testimonials. 

-- Letter of authority from respecetive editors
-- Press ID Card
-- Proof of present address.