Expressing concern over a large number of journalists in Mumbai testing positive for Covid-19, Union minister Pratap Sarangi on Friday urged the Centre to introduce a health insurance scheme for scribes covering the pandemic in line with the one for frontline health workers.
In the last few weeks, several journalists in Chennai, Bhopal and other places have also tested positive, Sarangi said in a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.
He said scribes who have been infected with the deadly virus should be assured of quality treatment free of cost besides job security and salary during their absence from duty.
“The government should make provision for a health insurance scheme for journalists in the line with the insurance for frontline health workers,” Sarangi said in the letter.
He also urged the Centre to come out with specific guidelines for field journalists covering the pandemic such as mandatory use of personal protective equipments (PPEs) and report from designated sanitised areas to discharge their duty and ensure that people get crucial and timely information.