Kerala to include electronic media for journalists pension scheme

Thrissur, May 6 (UNI) The Kerala governement has decided to include electronic mediapersons in the state's journalist pension scheme, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said today.

Inaugurating the renovated hall of the Thrissur Press Club, the chief minister said a committee had been set up to study the possibility of forming a welfare fund for mediapersons.

The committee's report was expected within three months. The welfare fund would help to solve the problems regarding non-journalists, he said.

The government had also approved the demand to grant accreditation to persons working on the editorial desk, he added.

Assuring the government's full support to mediapersons, he said the government had increased its contribution to the journalists insurance scheme to Rs 15 lakh this year from Rs ten lakh earlier.

At the same time, the media also should work towards exposing the ills in society such as corruption, anti-people activities and forest encroachments. Where public interest was concerned, the media should put cooperation ahead of competition, he added.

The Thrissur Press Club hall has been renovated at a cost of Rs ten lakh.

UNI