The Centre will provide up to Rs5 lakh compensation each to the families of journalists, who have lost their lives to Covid-19 in the line of duty, officials aware of the matter said. The information and broadcasting ministry’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) has compiled a list of around two dozen journalists for the purpose and asked its regional units to send lists of cases that may have not come to its notice.
“The PIB has a Journalist Welfare Fund [since 2019] under which a support of up to Rs5 lakh can be extended to the family of a journalist who has lost his or her life in the line of duty,” said an official, who did not want to be named. The official added compensation has been offered in a couple of cases.
A second official said the department is prepared to provide support to more families once the reports from states are received.
