Govt has disbursed Rs 19.41 crore to 456 journalists under welfare scheme since FY15

The Centre has disbursed Rs 19.41 crore under the Journalist Welfare Scheme (JWS) to 456 journalists and media personnel or their families between 2014-15 and 2025-26, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) informed Parliament on Tuesday, highlighting the government's key welfare initiatives for the media fraternity.

Responding to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan said the Journalist Welfare Scheme remains the government's principal welfare mechanism for journalists facing financial distress due to death, permanent disability, serious illness or accident-related hospitalization.

The scheme provides one-time ex-gratia financial assistance on an urgent basis to journalists, media personnel or their families in cases of extreme hardship. Significantly, the minister clarified that the scheme covers both accredited and non-accredited journalists, expanding its reach beyond those formally recognized by government authorities. 

Journalists accredited by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) as well as those accredited by State and Union Territory governments are eligible, alongside non-accredited media professionals.

The parliamentary response came after Lok Sabha member Damodar Agrawal sought details on government schemes for journalists, the number of beneficiaries, measures aimed at ensuring their social and economic security, initiatives for desk reporters and independent journalists, and the current number of accredited journalists in the country.

Health benefits for accredited journalists

Apart from financial assistance under the welfare scheme, the government said journalists accredited with the Press Information Bureau are also entitled to healthcare benefits under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).

According to the ministry, accredited journalists and their family members can avail treatment through government hospitals as well as CGHS-empanelled private hospitals at prescribed CGHS rates. The facility is intended to provide health security to journalists working in the National Capital Region who hold PIB accreditation.

The ministry also disclosed that 1,786 journalists are currently accredited with the Press Information Bureau.

However, while the question sought state-wise details of accredited journalists, the government's reply did not provide a state-wise breakup. Instead, it noted that the Press Information Bureau issues accreditation for journalists in the National Capital Region, and reported the overall number of accredited journalists as of the date of the reply.

On whether the government has introduced any dedicated welfare measures for desk reporters and independent journalists, the ministry did not announce any new or separate scheme. Instead, it reiterated that the existing Journalist Welfare Scheme extends coverage to non-accredited journalists, effectively including a broader category of media professionals beyond those holding official accreditation.

The response suggests that the Centre continues to rely on the existing framework of the Journalist Welfare Scheme, rather than introducing distinct welfare programmes for specific segments of the media workforce.

The disclosure provides one of the latest official snapshots of the government's welfare support for journalists, showing that financial assistance under the scheme has reached 456 beneficiaries over the past 12 financial years, with cumulative disbursements amounting to Rs 19.41 crore, while 1,786 journalists currently hold accreditation from the Press Information Bureau.