SRINAGAR: The Srinagar Press Club was provided Rs 50 lakh in financial assistance by the Jammu and Kashmir Information Department in December 2018, with the amount released through two government orders issued five days apart, the government has informed the Legislative Assembly.
The assistance was sanctioned for infrastructure upgradation and was placed at the disposal of the Press Club for execution and completion of the works, according to the documents enclosed with the government’s reply.
Government Order No. 44-ID of 2018, dated 14 December 2018, sanctioned an advance drawal of Rs 25 lakh under the works head of the Press Club, Kashmir. A second order, No. 45-ID of 2018, dated 19 December 2018, sanctioned another Rs 25 lakh for the same purpose.
Both orders were issued by the Information Department on the recommendation of the Director Information. The funds were to be drawn by the Accounts Officer of the Directorate of Information and subsequently placed at the disposal of the Press Club.
The government said the Srinagar Press Club was also provided space by the Estates Department for its operations. It added that any issues faced by the club’s office bearers could be taken up with the government through the Department of Information and Public Relations.
Responding to questions on journalists’ welfare, the government said journalists and their families are currently covered under the Journalists Welfare Scheme of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Under the scheme, introduced under guidelines issued on April 1, 2023, one-time ex-gratia financial assistance is available to both accredited and non-accredited journalists, including freelancers, and their families in cases of extreme hardship.
The assistance is capped at Rs 5 lakh in cases of death, Rs 5 lakh for permanent disability and Rs 3 lakh for treatment of major ailments not covered under the Central Government Health Scheme or insurance.
Journalists from Jammu and Kashmir are eligible to apply under the scheme through the Press Information Bureau or the UT Information Department, with eligible cases capable of being forwarded with the required recommendation.
The government also said accredited journalists in J&K are eligible for paid government accommodation through the Estates Department, subject to demand and availability. Short-term subsidised accommodation is additionally available to accredited journalists at government guest houses managed by the Hospitality and Protocol Department within and outside the Union Territory.
On accreditation, the government said the Directorate of Information and Public Relations carries out the process under the Guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists notified through Government Order No. 15-JK (ID) of 2022, dated November 17, 2022.
Journalists who do not receive health insurance or a post-retirement pension through their employers can also access government schemes, including Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT, which provides health insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to residents of J&K.
The government also referred to the Atal Pension Yojana, under which eligible citizens aged 18 to 40 years with a bank or post office savings account can subscribe to receive a fixed monthly pension from the age of 60, depending on their contributions.
On the demand for establishing a Press Club in J&K, particularly in Srinagar, the government said Press Clubs are autonomous bodies established by members of the media fraternity and registered as societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
It said their functioning is the responsibility of their respective executive or governing bodies, with elections held regularly to elect office bearers.
The Jammu Press Club, according to the reply, is functioning from a building provided on lease by the Jammu Development Authority.
