Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Treat scribes as corona warriors, PCI tells govts

By SPL CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI, Dec 3 - The Press Council of India (PCI) has urged the Union and state governments to treat media persons as corona warriors like doctors and confer them with the same benefits.

In a letter to the Centre and all state governments, the PCI also urged them to include journalists for group insurance schemes in line with the schemes already made by the Haryana government.

�The Council recommends to the central government to include the journalists, who died of COVID-19, in the category of COVID warriors like the doctors and others and confer them with the same benefits,� the Council�s letter stated.

Incidentally, at the highest level, the President of India, while addressing the National Press Day celebrations on November 16 at the National Media Centre, described the journalists as COVID warriors.

The Centre had announced Rs 50 lakh as compensation to the doctors and others who are fighting the epidemic risking their lives.

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19 was announced on March 30 remains in vogue for a year. This central scheme provides an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to healthcare providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact with COVID-19 patients and therefore, at risk of being infected.

The insurance provided under this scheme is over and above any other insurance cover being availed of by the beneficiary. There is no age limit for this scheme and individual enrolment is not required, the ministry had said.

The entire amount of premium for this scheme is being borne by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The benefit and claim under this policy are in addition to the amount payable under any other policies.

Next Story