Journalist's Medical Welfare Scheme - Assam
Category: Health & Wellness, Social welfare & Empowerment
Level: State | State: Assam

Details:
In consideration of the long pending demands of the journalists in the State for their welfare etc. the State Govt. has considered to introduce a new scheme viz. “Journalist Medical Welfare Scheme” for financial assistance to the Accredited Journalist as identified by the Director of Information &amp; Public Relations (DIPR) Assam under the Rule of the Assam Press Correspondents (Accredited/ Recognitions) Rules, 1989 for Medical treatment of such journalists who suffer from:-
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1.	 Complicated ailments needing long-term, highly expensive treatment/involving the transplant of organs/complicated surgeries/long-term medical treatments, e.g. cardiological/ nephrological/ oncological/ neurological/ gastroenterogical/ endoerinological etc. in nature.
2.	Complicated surgical treatments arising out of injury caused by accidents etc. including the cost artificial replacements of etc., as and where required.
3.	Incurable chronic ailments requiring life-saving devices/treatment etc.
4.	Any other serious health-related problems that may be Medically Diagnosed to be of life-threatening nature. For this purpose the State Govt. have introduced a new Head of Accounts in the Annual Budget Estimates from the financial year 2009-10 and the fund provided under this Head of Account shall be administered by a committee to be constituted by the Information &amp; Public Relations Department with the following members and the D.D.O. powers shall be delegated to the DIPR, Assam. 
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Under this scheme, one-time financial assistance is provided to the accredited and recognized journalists of Assam for their medical treatment. This scheme covers the medical requirements of the journalist as well as their dependent family members. This financial assistance is extended out of the interest accrued from the corpus fund of the scheme.

Benefits:
Under this Scheme, one-time financial assistance is to be provided to the Accredited and Recognized Journalist of Assam for treatment.
This scheme will also include Recognised Journalists.
The Scheme also covers dependent family members of the journalist.
Depending upon the nature and severity of the ailments/ disease, after taking into consideration all relevant medical records, etc., the Committee may decide upon the fund to be made available per applicant in the following slabs:
    a)	Up to a maximum of ₹ 50,000/- in case of disorders not life-threatening in nature.
    b)	Up to a maximum of ₹ 1,00,000/- in case of disorders life-threatening in nature.

Eligibility Criteria:
1. The applicant should be a citizen of India.
1. The applicant should be an ordinary resident of Assam.
1. The applicant must be a journalist who is formally accredited / recognised by the DIPR and fulfil all the norms required for the said accreditation/ recognition. **General Note:** Grant of financial assistance to any working journalist is not a matter of right. Assistance would be extended depending on the Committees satisfaction as to the eligibility/ merits of the cases and the availability of the financial resources for the purpose. The Committee reserves the right to reject or accept any application without assigning any reasons thereof.