- Welfare schemes must not be linked to accreditation cards.
- The government should implement welfare programs directly.
Hyderabad, November 20:
The Telangana State Journalists Union (TSJU) has urged that welfare schemes be extended to all journalists, irrespective of accreditation card status. A representation highlighting this demand was submitted to Telangana Commissioner of Information and Public Relations, Harish Kumar, on Wednesday.
The TSJU leaders emphasized the need for all journalist unions to be included in the accreditation committee. They were led by National Union of Journalists (India) [NUJ(I)] National Vice President Naragoni Purushottam, TSJU State President Merugu Chandramohan, General Secretary Tokala Anil Kumar, Treasurer Papani Nagaraju, and State Leader Kranti Kumar.
The TSJU delegation called for the formulation and implementation of a special law to ensure the safety of journalists in Telangana. They stressed that safeguarding journalists’ professional security and rights is the government’s responsibility. The delegation raised concerns over increasing attacks and threats against journalists and demanded the enactment of a law specifically to protect them.
Key Recommendations and Requests:
- Decouple welfare schemes from accreditation cards to benefit all journalists, especially those facing financial and professional challenges without accreditation.
- Establish district- and state-level committees to prevent attacks on journalists and ensure justice for victims.
- Allocate housing and land to journalists through direct applications to the government rather than relying solely on union-recommended groups.
- Expedite empanelment for small newspapers, as delays have caused significant hardship for their journalist-owners.
- Create a Telangana Press and Media Corporation to provide financial support to small publications and media outlets.
- Launch a special health insurance scheme to cover journalists’ medical treatments, accident insurance, and health-related assistance.
The delegation also called for a white paper on the welfare activities carried out for journalists by the previous government. They highlighted the professional hazards journalists face, including dangerous situations during news coverage, health risks, and occupational threats.
In response, Commissioner Harish Kumar assured the delegation of his positive outlook and commitment to raising these demands with the appropriate authorities. The TSJU leaders expressed optimism that their demands would soon translate into effective implementation.
