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

Acknowledging the contribution of media in the battle against COVID-19 in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced insurance for working journalists covering reports related to the pandemic and face the highest risk of contracting the infection.

Bhubaneswar:Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh for the families of working journalists, who die due to COVID-19 infection.

As per the announcement, the families of journalists will be provided with the insurance amount of Rs 15 lakh if they die of COVID-19.

“The contribution of media in the battle against COVID-19 in Odisha is an appreciable thing. The journalists are working hard to disseminate awareness for the safety of the people. In such a gloomy situation, if a journalist dies of the virus, the state government will provide Rs 15 lakh ex-gratia to his/her family,” the Chief Minister's official letter read.

Odisha governments media advisor Manas Mangaraj thanked the chief minister for the governments sympathetic approach towards journalists.

Notably, Odisha CM earlier had announced Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia for doctors and health workers died in Coronavirus.

Earlier senior BJP leader and Union Minister Pratap Sarangi in a letter to the Union Information and Broadcasting
Minister Prakash Javadekar had urged him to introduce a health insurance scheme for scribes covering the pandemic, in line with the one for frontline health workers.

Sarangi, the MoS for micro, small and medium enterprises, said that several journalists in Mumbai, Chennai,
Bhopal and other places have tested positive for COVID-19.