PCI recommends to centre, states n UT to consider its resolve regarding insurance of scribes n conferring them benefits of corona warriors
The Press Council Of India had in its meeting on 22nd September, unanimously resolved to recommend to all the state governments, union territories and the central government to frame and implement a Group Insurance Scheme for the journalists in the pattern of the policy framed by the government of Haryana.
In addition to this, the PCI also recommended to the central government its decision regarding bringing the journalists in the catagory of corona warriors after their death due to Covid 19 as the doctors n others are considered and should be conferred the same benefits as other corona warriors are accorded financially n otherwise.
In a letter sent to the joint secretary of the ministry of Information and Broadcasting , Mr. Vikram Sahay by the secretary of Press Council of India, Anupama Bhatnagar, requesting for considering these demands of the PCI she stated that the council had in its meeting on 22 nd September unanimously resolved to frame a policy for life insurance of journalists on the pattern of Haryana government and inclusion of journalists in the catagory of Corona warriors as doctors n others to confer them same benefits after their deaths due to Covid 19.
The various journalists organisations have written to the PCI to consider these demands forthwith and request the union government to implement it at the earliest.
It may be recalled that the Press Council of India is an autonomous statutory quasi judicial authority mandated by the Parliament with the twin objectives of preserving the freedom of the press and of maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and the news agencies in India. It preserves press freedom with responsibility in keeping with the constitutional objectives and strives to promote the standards of reporting through its advisory and adjudicatory jurisdiction says the PCI letter.
Apart from writing to the I n B joint secretary, the PCI secretary Anupama Bhatnagar has also written to all the chief secretaries of the states and the union territories accquanting them of the PCI resolution regarding formulation of the life insurance policy of journalists and their inclusion in the catagory of Corona warriors by conferring them the same benefits as accorded to doctors n others after their fatalities in the line of duty.
pic from twitter
