Rs 15 lakh ex-gratia if any working journalists dies of COVID-19: Odisha CM

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday anunced compassionate assistance of Rs 15 lakh to working journalists who die due to coronavirus infection.

Patnaik said that coronavirus has created a huge health issue across globe and journalists play a major role in creating awareness among masses. y are working in a difficult situation to perform ir professional duties, chief minister said.

An official release issued by Chief Ministers Office said that if any journalist dies due to coronavirus, his/her family members will get ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh.

Odisha government media advisor Manas Mangaraj thanked chief minister for government's sympatic approach towards journalists.

Earlier senior BJP leader and Union Minister Pratap Sarangi in a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting

Minister Prakash Javadekar had urged him to introduce a health insurance scheme for scribes covering pandemic, in line with one for frontline health workers. Sarangi, MoS for micro, small and medium enterprises, said that several journalists in Mumbai, Chennai, Bhopal and or places have tested positive for COVID-19.