Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday announced sops to poor journalists in the state.
Mr Rao promised 2BHK houses for the kin of deceased journalists and those incapacitated in accidents or diseases, Rs 3 lakh to girls for their marriage, education for children in government residential schools, pensions, etc.
“I am literally moved by the plight of families of poor journalists. The government will do everything for their uplift and ensure financial assistance when in distress. It’s a case of paina pataram lona lotaram (Some look well off, but it’s hallow inside),” he said.
Mr Rao distributed Rs 1 lakh each to 69 journalists or the kin of those dead, sick and incapacitated at a function held at CM’s camp office on his 63rd birthday. He also announced that the families will get pension of Rs 3,000 per month for five years.
Some of the widows and other family members of dead journalists pleaded for 2BHK houses, jobs, more financial support, especially those having girls of marriageable age. The CM promptly accepted the request.
Complimenting Telangana State Press Academy chairman Allam Narayana and Governor’s Council members for helping journalists in distress, the CM said that the government would release more funds to the academy taking the total corpus for journalists welfare to '60 crore and increase it to Rs 100 crore soon.
“The interest accrued from Rs 100 crore, say about Rs 7 crore per annum, could be utilised for journalists’ welfare schemes. We are also working for providing housing scheme for them. We will also ensure every working journalist have ESI and Provident Fund” he added.
Home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy and Malkajgiri MP Malla Reddy were also present.
