Chhattisgarh govt enhances benefits for journalists

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 10 : The Chhattisgarh government has increased the senior media worker honorarium, financial assistance provided from Journalist Welfare Fund, and the retirement age of journalists.
The state government has increased the senior media worker honorarium from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month. The provisional rules have also been amended to make preferential provision for development level journalists.
Apart from these changes, the limit of financial assistance provided by the Journalist Welfare Fund has been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs. 2,00,000 for journalists in need.
The labour department of the state government has issued an order to increase their retirement age from 60 years to 62 years, keeping in mind the best interest and welfare of journalists.
According to the official release, "Along with doubling the amount of senior media personnel honorarium, the eligibility conditions have been relaxed to bring more journalists under its purview. Whereas earlier Rs 5000 was given every month under the scheme, now it has been increased to Rs 10,000."
Besides all these initiatives, Chhattisgarh Journalist Security Act is also being prepared by the state government to help the journalists in imparting fearless and impartial journalism. In this regard, a committee under the chairmanship of Justice Aftab Alam, a retired judge of the Supreme Court has been set up.
"A 12-member committee of retired High Court judges, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, senior journalist and advocate general, prepared the first draft of the law in the month of November-2019 by incorporating the opinion of the journalists, journalists organizations and common citizens of the state. At present, online suggestions are being received on its second format, based on which this law will be finalized. Rapid work is being done towards the framing of Journalist Security Act," it added.