Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has agreed to provide Health and Accreditation Cards to journalists in Telangana State, besides releasing Rs 10 crore of welfare fund for the scribes on Feb 23.
This was stated by Press Academy Chairman Allam Narayana after attending the meeting addressed by KCR at Press Academy of Telangana today. Interestingly, KCR is learnt to have avoided a word on media restrictions in Secretariat that invited wrath from political parties and journalists’ unions. The meeting was held with Editors and Senior journalists of newspapers and electronic media at Press Academy in the presence of MP Vinod Kumar, Media Advisor KV Ramana Chary, I and PR commissioner Chandravadan.
The Chief Minister while agreeing to issue the pending health cards and accreditation cards to field level journalists without any further delay, asked to constitute a nine member committee which will submit a report on modalities in a week days. Based on the report, the government will initiate immediate steps to address all the issues related to Journalists, Narayana stated. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of restrictions on media at Telangana Secretariat. The Chief Minister is said to have focused on media ethics instead of imposing ban and stressed the need for regulating the media personnel at the nerve center.
Offering to consider another Rs 10 crore for welfare, KCR said that the existing fund will be fixed in the name of academy and the interest be used for the welfare of the journalists in distress and grief, Narayana said. The chief minister expressed readiness to provide housing facility to the scribes and asked the senior journalists to give proposals on distribution of the same. The meeting focused on media ethics, welfare of the press persons and health cards, accreditation cards and housing facility and other issues. (NSS)
