Shivraj Rains Sops on Journos in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced sops for the journalists in the state ahead of the year-end assembly polls.

He declared to double the monthly honorarium given to the retired journalists aged above 60 years to Rs 20,000.

Addressing a gathering of media men here, Mr Chouhan also announced his government’s decision to increase financial assistance given to the journalists and their dependents for their medical treatment when they fall ill from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40, 000.

In case of serious diseases, the assistance has been hiked from Rs 50,000 to Rs one lakh.

Mr Chouhan said his government has a plan to develop another journalist colony in Bhopal to provide government plots to the scribes to build their houses.

He said that two such colonies have already been developed in Bhopal.

Similar benefits would be given to the district level journalists by developing journalist colonies in the districts, he said.

Mr Chouhan however said that there were some legal hurdles for releasing government plots for journalists. But, the government would address the issue to make way for the release of government plots to the journalists.

He declared that a one-time financial assistance of Rs eight lakh would be given to the family of senior journalists, being given honorarium, in case of their deaths.

He also announced to increase the interest-free housing loan amount given to the journalists from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.

Similarly, for the educational loans of children of accredited journalists, the state government will pay a subsidy of five percent on interest for five years.

The state government has also decided to pay the hiked premium of the health insurance of the journalists.

The state government would however bear the entire premium of the health insurance of journalists aged above 65 years.

Mr Chouhan declared the establishment of a media Centre here equipped with modern infrastructure for the journalists.

He also announced to constitute a committee to frame the law for the protection of journalists.

“All the promises will be fulfilled before the year-end assembly polls”, he said.