Palle lauds media’s role

Distributes health cards to scribes

Anantapur: Minister for IT Palle Raghunatha Reddy described the media's role in the society as indispensable. The media serves as a bridge between the government and people. The media creates awareness on the government schemes and takes them to the people while they focus on people's problems and draw the attention of the government. This role of the media is laudable, he added.

Participating in a function for distributing health cards to the journalists here on Sunday, Raghunatha Reddy stated that the government has issued 15,500 accreditation cards to reporters and 350 sub editors in the State. He said that all eligible journalists will be given accreditation cards and necessary instructions have already been given to all DPROs in the State.

The Minister stated that 4,520 health cards were given and 11,502 journalists were covered under health insurance scheme. Journalists need to pay a mere Rs 198 for coverage under the scheme. The journalists also can avail the Chandranna Bheema Padakam by paying a mere Rs 15 as premium. Under the journalists health scheme, Rs 10 lakh will be paid to the family in case of death of the journalist.

The Minister revealed that a committee with the Superintendent of Police as the convener has been constituted in every district to act against those indulging in physical attacks on the journalists. He also promised house sites to all the eligible journalists. The Minister and local MLA Prabhakar Chowdhury distributed 688 health cards to the local journalists. Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy and MLA Prabhakar Chowdhury promised to pay the premium for the health insurance for journalists and also return the amount paid to those who already paid the premium.

Mayor Swaroopa and deputy mayor Gampanna were present.