Madhya Pradesh government to launch insurance scheme for scribes on August 15

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government will launch a scheme on August 15 to provide health and accident insurance to journalists in the state.

"From August 15, the state government will launch Journalists Health and Accident Insurance Scheme," Madhya Pradesh Public Relations and Energy Minister Rajendra Shukla announced last evening.

He was speaking at Mahendra Choudhary Memorial state-level photo journalism awards function to honour press photographers. "Under the scheme, personal health insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to a media representative and accident insurance of Rs 5 lakh. Media representatives between the age of 21 and 70 years, will be eligible for this insurance scheme," a department official said.

Shukla also annouced to give regional photography awards for photojournalists working at the divisional and district level along with the state-level awards from next year. He felicitated seven press photographers selected for the awards from year 2008 to 2014.

Terming media as the fourth pillar of democracy, Shukla urged media to promote positive journalism. He also said photojournalists also play a significant role in media.

"Photojournalists are inseparable part of journalism, without whom a news appears to be incomplete. On a number of occasions a snap taken by a press photographer depicts the reality more eloquently," he said.

Shukla said that Madhya Pradesh has earned fame at national and international levels by dint of its development and natural beauty. "National and international level awards have been conferred to Madhya Pradesh on account of its rapid growth in agriculture, power and infrastructure sectors as well as social welfare schemes," he said.

Shukla conferred photojournalism awards on Akhil Hardia of Indore for year 2008, Rajesh Malviya of Jabalpur for 2009, Sandeep Jadiya of Rewa for 2010, Bhopal's A.M. Farooqui for 2011, Praveen Vajpayee for 2012 and Prakash Hathvalne for 2013 and Ravi Upadhyay of Gwalior for year 2014. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh and a citation.