Agartala: Jan 17: The current government has introduced health insurance for government accredited journalists working in the state. The health insurance will cover medical services up to three lakh rupees per annum. Information and Culture Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said this while distributing the invitation cards among the journalists working in the state’s media in an event organized by the Department of Information and Culture at the Press Conference Hall at the Secretariat today.
In the event, accreditation cards were officially handed over to 11 print media and 13 electronic media journalists. He also said that the state’s information and culture department is sincere in meeting the long-standing demand of journalists in the state to get accreditation cards.
Initiatives have been taken to bring a total of 337 journalists, including old and new, under health insurance. As a result, journalists can take advantage of medical services at various reputed hospitals in India. He said that 19 new journalists have been given accreditation cards, besides 141 journalists have been given renewal accreditation cards and 25 senior journalists have been given application cards.
He also said that those whose names have been omitted from the list of accreditation cards have the opportunity to get them in the coming days as well. The Minister of Information and Culture emphasized on the proper use of the card besides protecting the proper dignity of the journalists who have received this accreditation Card. Journalists have an important role to play in making democracy strong. As the fourth pillar of democracy, journalists will play a positive role in making the state stronger by fulfilling their professional responsibilities, said minister of information and Cultural Affairs department.
Giving detailed information about health insurance in the event, the Minister of Information and Culture said that the annual health insurance premium for journalists aged 21 to 35 years is rs 5,595 excluding GST. Of this, the state government will bear Rs 4476 and the journalists will have to pay Rs 119, Annual insurance premium for journalists aged 35 to 45 is Rs 7,947 excluding GST.
Annual insurance premium for journalists aged 45 to 55 is Rs 13,672 excluding GST. The state government will bear Rs 109038 and journalists will have to pay Rs 2734, in case of journalists between 55 and 65 years of age, out of dispute premium amount of 17960 rupees excluding GST, 14 thousand 326 rupees will be paid by the state government and the remaining 3581 rupees will be paid to the insurers.
