Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal on Sunday said that media has a very important role as the fourth pillar of democracy.
“The role of media has become even more important today,” the Chief Minister said while interacting with the media persons after inaugurating the newly established Media Centre at Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi.
He said that media centres have been set up at all the district headquarters in Haryana. In this series, a media centre equipped with various facilities has been set up at Haryana Bhawan at a cost of Rs 41.75 lakh, he said.
The Chief Minister further said that Haryana Government has started many schemes for the welfare of the media persons. Under the pension scheme in Haryana, monthly pension facility of Rs 10,000 is being given to the media persons and 125 media persons are so far getting this pension. Under the scheme, which was started from December, 2017, an amount of more than Rs. two crore has so far been disbursed as pension, he said.
The financial assistance is provided through Journalist Welfare Fund for the emergent medical treatment of media persons and their dependents or on their demise. Haryana Government has also provided facility of group insurance to the media persons from Rs five lakh to Rs 20 lakh, he added.
Meanwhile, expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said that through ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program, the Prime Minister has praised ‘Jal Hee Jeevan’ scheme launched in nine paddy dominated districts of the state where other crops have been grown instead of paddy, which require less water. This step of Haryana has given the message of water conservation to people of the country, he said. The Chief Minister said that the appreciation by the Prime Minister will encourage the Haryana Government to work harder for water conservation.
Earlier, the Prime Minister had appreciated Haryana in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program for successfully implementing the nationwide campaign of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'.