A committee will be set up as part of efforts to frame a journalists’ protection law in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday.
Addressing a ‘patrakar samagam’ (journalists’ gathering) here, the CM also said a new ‘Patrakar Bhawan’ will be built in place of the old demolished building.
It will be called the ‘state media centre’ and will have a modern convention centre, library and canteen etc, the CM added.
“A committee of senior journalists will be constituted to give recommendations to frame the state’s Journalist Protection Act,” he said.
Chouhan also said the honorarium being paid to senior journalists above 60 years of age will be enhanced from the current Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 20,000, while in the event of a journalist’s death, the spouse will get Rs 8 lakh as assistance.
“Accredited journalists can avail loan of Rs 30 lakh instead of 25 lakh at present for construction of their house. The state government will pay the additional 27 per cent cost of premium for the journalist health insurance scheme this year while it will pay full premium for journalists and their spouses aged 65 and above,” he told the gathering.
The assistance given to journalists for the treatment of normal diseases has been raised from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 and for serious ailments from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, he said.
For educational loans of children of accredited journalists, the state government will pay a subsidy of 5 per cent on interest for five years, while training will be imparted to journalists in the field of digital technology in association with the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, the CM announced.
He also said land will be provided at the district level to journalists’ societies for the construction of houses.
Assembly polls will be held in the state at the end of the year.