Lok Sabha Question No. 1000 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Financial Assistance to Scribes
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Hemant Patil, Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No.1000

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.09.2020

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SCRIBES

1000.  SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE: SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL: DR.   SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: SHRI UNMESH BHAIYYASAHEB PATIL: DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION & BROADCASTING be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government proposes to increase financial assistance under  welfare  scheme  for  scribes  and  their  families  in  times  of extreme hardships and if so, the details thereof ;
- (b) the  criteria  fixed  for  covering  journalists  and  their  families  under the welfare scheme;
- (c) whether the part-time journalists, freelance journalists, photographers,  cameramen  are    eligible  for  coverage  under  this scheme and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  the  beneficiaries  under  this  scheme  during  the  last three years. State/UT-wise; and
- (e) the details of the funds sanctioned and released under this scheme during the said period, State/UT wise?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE: MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES {SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR}

(a) to (c) : Financial Assistance to Journalists and their families in extreme hardship  is  extended  in  accordance  with  the  Guidelines  on  Journalist Welfare  Scheme  dated  05.03.2019.  Detailed  criteria,  coverage,  eligibility and  quantum  of  financial  assistance  have  been  laid  down  under  the guidelines which are available on this Ministry's website :  www.mib.nic.in.

(d) & (e): Details of financial assistance given in the last three years are as under:-

| Financial Year   |   Total number of Beneficiary |   Amount of funds Sanctioned /Released (in Lakhs) | States/UTs                                                                                                                     |
|------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2017-18          |                            11 |                                             39.37 | Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh.                                                          |
| 2018-19          |                            27 |                                             99.99 | Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.                             |
| 2019-20          |                            28 |                                            115.25 | Bihar, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh. |

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