Hooda announces incentives for mediapersons

Chandigarh, Dec 29 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced a number of incentives for mediapersons in the state, including creation of a welfare fund, allotment of plots for group housing societies of journalists and enhancement in insurance cover for them.

Announcing the Media Policy of the state government, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said a 'Patrakar Kalyan Kosh' would be set up with Rs 50 lakh as state government's contribution.

He said land for construction of houses under group housing societies would be provided by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) on the pattern of the similar policy announced by him for lawyers in the state.

The insurance cover for journalists would be enhanced from Rs one lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh and accreditation would be extended to those working on contractual basis and the representatives of electronic media.

Mr Hooda said the announcements made by him today were based on the main highlights of new Accreditation Rules and Regulations as recommended by Media Accreditation Committee of the state government.

He said that in view of the changing media scenario, those working on contractual basis would also be eligible for accrediation.

For the first time, representatives of evening newspapers and weekly newspapers being published from Haryana would also get accreditation.

Also, two representatives of a newspaper or agency in Delhi would be given accreditation. Earlier, there was no such facility of granting accreditation in the National Capital.

Mr Hooda said that for the first time the representatives of electronic media would be given accreditation at district headquarters and Delhi.

The Chief Minister said that the accrediation would be granted for two teams of each channel at state headquarters and also in Delhi.

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