Mehbooba govt proposes to set up journalist welfare fund

The Mehbooba Mufti government of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday proposed to set up a journalist welfare fund with an initial corpus of Rs 2 crore for providing financial help to working and accredited scribes in the state.

The legal heirs or dependents of working journalist will be provided assistance from the fund in case of death or incapacitation of the scribe concerned, state Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu said in his budget speech in Legislative Assembly.

"I propose to set up a Journalist Welfare Fund with an initial corpus money of Rs 2 crore for the welfare of working and accredited journalists of the state," he said.

"For last 26 years, journalists working in strife-torn state of Jammu and Kashmir are facing hardships as there is no welfare scheme for scribes," Drabu said.

"It would be ideal if the journalists of the state get together and set up a society, frame the rules and guidelines for administering this fund," he said.