Lok Sabha Question No. 930 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-04
Subject: Welfare of Media Persons
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: SONA RAM CHOUDHARY, KAMLA DEVI PATLE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.930 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2015

## WELFARE OF MEDIA PERSONS

## 930. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY: SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has implemented/proposes to implement any welfare schemes for electronic and print media persons;
- (b) if  so,  the  details of each such scheme and the monitoring mechanism for their effective implementation including the fund earmarked/utilized for the purpose during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise and media-wise;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the other steps being taken by the Government for the welfare of employees, journalist, editors, writers working with media?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  INFORMATION  AND BROADCASTING [(COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

(a) & (b): The welfare schemes for electronic and print media persons implemented by the Government of India are: -

- (i) Assistance  under  Journalists  Welfare  Scheme  (JWS)  to  provide  one  time  ex-gratia relief on urgent basis to journalists and their families on account of death, permanent disability, cost of treatment of major ailments and also in case of accidents causing serious injuries necessitating hospitalization.  For seeking financial assistance under this Scheme, journalist/family have to apply in the prescribed form and forward it to Director General: Press Information Bureau (PIB).  Thereafter, DG, PIB examine the matter and if the matter fulfills the conditions of JWS, DG along with his specific recommendations and necessary documents, forward it to the Committee constituted for administering the JWS for consideration. The Committee takes a decision after considering  the  recommendations  and  thereafter  the  matter  is  submitted  for  the approval  of  Minister  of  Information  &  Broadcasting  for  releasing  the  financial assistance.  The funds allocated under JWS and the expenditure incurred during the last three years and the current year are given below:

| Financial Year    | Allocated Fund (Rs.)   | Expenditure (Rs.)   |
|-------------------|------------------------|---------------------|
| 2012-13           | 20,00,000/-            | 10,00,000/-         |
| 2013-14           | 30,00,000/             | 6,00,000/-          |
| 2014-15           | 30,00,000/             | 22,46,272/-         |
| 2015-16 till date | 15,00,000/             | 15,00,000/-         |

State/Union Territory wise and media-wise information has not been maintained.

- (ii) Central  Government  Health  Scheme  (CGHS)  facilities  are  being  provided  to  PIB accredited  media  persons.  They  are  entitled  to  OPD  facilities  and  medicines  from CGHS dispensary and inpatient medical facilities at Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi. However,  OPD  treatment  is  not  permitted  in  private  empanelled  hospitals.    For indoor  treatment,  journalists  can  obtain  treatment  at  any  of  the  CGHS  empanelled private hospital on the basis of CGHS card issued and the hospitals are to charge at CGHS rates for the facilities for which they are empanelled.
- (iii) As  a  measure  for  journalists'  welfare,  the  journalists  are  allotted  Government accommodation under 'Press Pool' for a specified limited period.  The Guidelines for allotment of accommodation under Press Pool have been formulated by Directorate of  Estates,  M/o  Urban  Development.    As  per  the  extant  guidelines,  there  are  100 dwelling  units  under  Press  Pool  for  allotment  to  the  media  persons.    The  press persons  have  been  categorized  into  two  categories  on  the  basis  of  their  monthly emoluments, viz.
- /checkbld those drawing emoluments upto Rs.20,000/- under Category-I
- /checkbld those drawing between Rs.20,001/- to 40,000/- under Category-II.

Journalists  under  Category-I  are  allotted  Type-IV  Government  accommodation for  normal  period  of  allotment  of  5  years  and  those  under  Category-II  get Type-IV Spl. accommodation for 3 years.

As per the guidelines, a Screening Committee under the chairpersonship of Director General, PIB and comprising of 4 journalists/cameramen and one official each from M/o  Urban  Development  and  Directorate  of  Estates,  considers  the  applications received  from  the  journalists  and  recommends  the  names  to  Dtte.  of  Estates  for allotment of Govt. accommodation.  The guidelines also provide that the Screening Committee will have tenure of two years from the date of its first meeting and will be reconstituted every two years.

- (iv) Concession  on  rail  fares  is  admissible  to  Press  Correspondents  accredited  to Headquarters  of  Government  of  India,  State  Governments,  Union  Territories  and Districts for unlimited travel on bonafide press work.  The element of concession is 50%  in  all  classes  in  basic  fares  of  Mail/Express/Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan  Shatabdi Trains to Press Correspondents for unlimited travel on bonafide press work.  Same element of concession is also admissible to spouse/dependent children/companion of the  accredited  Press  Correspondent  while  travelling  with  him/her  twice  in  every financial year from the station serving the headquarters to any place and back.

Wage Boards are constituted under section 9 and 13C of the Working Journalists & Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955, administered  by  M/o  Labour  &  Employment,  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  or  revising  the rates of wages in respect of journalists and non-journalist newspaper employees for print media  only.    The  Government  has  constituted  six  Wage  Boards  for  the  newspaper employees till now.  The last Wage Board constituted by the Government has submitted its  report  on  31 st December,  2010  and  its  recommendations  were  notified  on  11 th November, 2011.

- (c) Does not arise.
- (d) At present, no such proposal is under consideration with the Government of India.