GUWAHATI: Assam government on Tuesday provided financial aid to 31 ailing journalists in the state. The cheques were distributed by Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, Hrishikesh Goswami at a function held in the CM”s office here.
“Journalists dedicate themselves in highlighting the basic issues confronting the society and help in creating public opinion for a strong and value-based democracy in the country. The journalists always act as anti-virus against all evil forces to lend momentum to society. Therefore, the journalists represent the conscience of the society and always work as a watch dog to lead our democracy to perfection,” Goswami said.
He further informed that the Journalists’ Welfare Medical Fund was an effort on the part of the Chief Minister to expedite government’s initiatives towards the welfare of the journalists of the state. He also said that the initiative was not a favour shown towards the journalists, it was rather a duty that the government was rendering.
Stating that the people placed in government jobs enjoy financial security, however, journalists involved in collecting and disseminating information are devoid of financial security. Therefore, the state government in power has been adopting several welfare schemes. He also said that in the coming days, the state government in consultation with different journalists associations will formulate more welfare schemes for the benefits of the journalists. A grant of Rs. 10 lakh for Media Trusts and proposal for a Insurance Scheme for journalists in this year’s budget is a testimony to government’s intense desire for the welfare of the journalists.
It may be noted that under the programme altogether 31 ailing journalists from across the state were given a sum of Rs. 9, 72, 343 in total on Tuesday . A corpus fund to the tune of Rs. 3 crore has been created for the purpose. A sum of Rs. 70 lakh has already been disbursed for 150 journalists under the scheme so far.
