SHILLONG, AUG 27: IPR Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Tuesday said the state government is proposing to implement the Meghalaya Journalist Welfare Scheme 2024.
Replying in the Assembly, Lyngdoh admitted that the Journalist Welfare Scheme 2009 was a little outdated when compared to other states, which have progressed more in regards to such kinds of interventions for journalists.
“Hence, we are now in the process of proposing the Meghalaya Journalist Shceme 2024, which is an advance stage,” she said.
Under the new scheme, the minister informed that the government is proposing to increase the journalist fund to Rs 35 lakh while considering that Rs 5 lakh (corpus fund) is too meagre.
“It is a 500% increase (in the case of) death of journalists while (the fund for medical treatment will be increased) from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh,” she said.
“We also encourage journalists to register with the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS). We are also proposing some cashless treatment for journalists but all of these are still in a proposal stage,” she added.
She further announced the government’s decision to provide housing facilitly for journalists.
Meanwhile, the minister also informed that the government is planning to come up with few laws to curb and hold accountable circulaton of false information.
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