MIB constitutes committee to review guidelines of Journalist Welfare Scheme

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has constituted a 10-member Committee headed by Ashok Kumar Tandon, journalist and Member, Prasar Bharati, to take a look at the existing guidelines of Journalists Welfare Scheme of MIB and make appropriate recommendations for changes therein. This decision is considered significant in the light of the several changes that have taken place in the media eco space, including the loss of a large number of journalists due to COVID-19 and the broad basing of the definition of the “Working Journalists”.

The Journalists Welfare Scheme, which has been in existence for several years, needs a relook from a futuristic perspective and broad basing the coverage for the benefit of the Journalists of this country. With the enactment of Occupational, Safety, Health and Working Condition Code 2020, the definition of the Working Journalists has been broadened to include within its fold those working in both traditional and digital media. Further, it was also considered necessary to look at the possible parity between accredited and non-accredited journalists from the perspective of welfare and availing of benefits under the scheme.

MIB has taken very pro-active steps in recent times for grant of ex-gratia payment to the families of journalists, who died due to COVID-19 and a sum of Rs 5 lakh has been given as assistance to each family of over 100 journalists.

The Committee is expected to give its report in a time-bound manner within two months. Its recommendations would enable the Government to frame guidelines afresh for the benefit of the journalists. Headed by Ashok Kumar Tandon, the Committee also includes Sachidanand Murthy, Resident Editor, The Week; Shekhar Aiyar, Freelance Journalist; Amitabh Sinha, News18; Sishir Kumar Sinha, Business Line; Ravinder Kumar, Special Correspondent, Zee News; Hitesh Shankar, Editor, Panchjanya; Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Hindustan Times; Amit Kumar, Times Now; Vasudha Venugopal, Economic Times; and Kanchan Prasad, Additional DG, Press Information Bureau.