By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 27: The State Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Meghalaya Journalist Welfare Scheme (MJWS) 2024, which will be rolled out by December 1.
Information and Public Relations Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said the scheme has been a long-time request from the media fraternity.
She said the government upscaled the welfare scheme although some of its components are similar to the one last year.
The compensation for the loss of life of a journalist has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh while the fiscal support for journalists facing acute health problems has been hiked to Rs 3 lakh from Rs 50,000, she said.
“The other components will be disclosed as and when the committee sits for the first time. The committee has been entrusted to decide the modalities of the operation of the MJWS,” she added.
Asked about the retired and veteran journalists, Lyngdoh said: “We are also concerned about the registered accredited journalists who need attention and assistance because of their yeoman’s service.” “We will let the committee take a call. We are looking at a support fund for veteran journalists,” she said.
She further said the state government is studying the positive practices in other states to replicate. “I hope that the press fraternity is jubilant after the long-pending demand from successive governments has now received the Cabinet’s approval,” she added.
