Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Working Journalists Welfare Fund Rules-2006 was amended Thursday. From now onwards, the existing rules 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 welfare fund rules, the Odisha government will sanction ex-gratia of Rs 4,00,000 to the family of a working journalist after his/her death.
In addition to health insurance benefits, top up financial assistance 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 2,00,000.
A working journalist whose name is submitted or recommended by DIPRO will get a house loan up to Rs 25 lakh at three per cent % interest. The subvention will be released annually after repayment of regular installments by the journalist who has taken the loan..
A working journalist can get a loan up to Rs 50,000 towards purchase of two-wheeler and up to Rs 4,00,000 for buying four-wheeler at the same three per cent interest rate.
Financial assistance of Rs 2,00,000 shall be sanctioned in favour of a working journalist in the event of permanent incapacitation caused by accident, disease or any other reason.
In case a working journalist dies, his/her children will be provided a financial assistance up to Rs 1,500 per month till matriculation and up to 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.
Besides, to facilitate training of journalists in government institutions, the Odisha government will bear training coast up to Rs 10,000 per journalist in a 5-year block period.
PNN