Deceased Scribes' Families To Get Aid

In the wake of the unabated increases in Covid-19 cases in Telangana, the Telangana Press Academy (TPA) has decided to offer financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the journalists who have succumbed to Covid-19.

Academy chief Allam Narayana made the announcement at a press conference recently.

"In just ten days, 15 journalists have died after contracting Covid-19. The journalist community has been especially badly affected by the disease ever since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. After receiving several representations from journalists' associations and unions for help, we have decided to offer financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the journalists who lost their lives due to Covid-19," he explained.

"Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has been kind enough to provide immediate financial assistance to ailing journalists as well as to the families of deceased ones. Those families who have lost members to the disease will surely get our help as well. So far, we have offered similar assistance to 200 families. We will continue to support our colleagues and peers in this way as journalists are frontline warriors too, risking their lives to write and inform the public about various important issues," Narayana added.

The TPA head then asked eligible beneficiaries of the program to submit the required details through the district medical offices and DPRO officials to avail themselves of the financial assistance, and said, "Details of the death, Covid-19 reports, media accreditation, and any other relevant documents must be submitted by May 10. They have to be sent to my office. The postal address for the same is - Information Department, FDC building, Masab Tank, Hyderabad."

Narayana also appealed to the government to provide "immediate and special treatment" to the journalists affected by Covid-19 at all the hospitals of Telangana.

The Telangana Press Academy has been actively involved in fighting for the rights of the scribes in the state and takes many initiatives to help the community. Last year, it set up a fund to help the journalists affected by Covid-19, and gave Rs 20,000 each to those who tested positive, and Rs 10,000 each to those observing home quarantine.