Assam government on Monday announced life insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to all journalists reporting during the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
Making the announcement, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the journalists were putting their lives at risk while covering COVID-19 related issues and generating mass awareness across the state. "As a mark of recognition to the selfless endeavour of the scribes, the state government is announcing this insurance coverage," Sonowal said.
The state government had earlier announced similar insurance cover for frontline medical professionals and police personnel. Following this, the state unit of Congress and some journalists unions had urged the state government to announce similar cover for the journalists.
Journalists' Union of Assam, National Union of Journalists, Assam and Guwahati Press Club (GPC) welcomed the state government's announcement.
President of GPC, Manoj Kumar Nath and general secretary Sanjoy Ray, in a statement expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for taking the step in view of the health hazard faced by the journalists in the line of duty. GPC had also recently requested the Chief Minister to consider providing journalists health and life insurance coverage.
The state health department recently collected swab samples of journalists in Guwahati for COVID-19 test.
(Published 27 April 2020, 16:29 IST)
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