Journalists in Telangana will be provided aid by the government. As many as 822 journalists have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the onset of the pandemic in March while on duty in Telangana. The state government has since then released Rs 1.55 crore as financial aid to these journalists, state the government officials. Speaking to a leading daily, Laxman Kumar, Assistant Director of the Media Academy of Telangana with the Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD), said that the state government is extending help to all journalists who have been infected by COVID-19 and are in need of financial assistance for treatment in Telangana.

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Laxman said, “There is no distinction being made between the accredited and non accredited journalists.” He further added, “If any journalist requires financial assistance, they can reach out to us. They just need to procure a letter from their executives saying that they are working there and produce payslips.” The fund of Rs 1.55 crore was released by the IPRD over the course of the past five months. “The financial support is being provided not just to reporters but also to videographers, photographers, people from the desk of newspapers and also their stringers,” said Laxman.

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One of the first reported cases among journalists from Telangana was in May when a Delhi based journalist with a Telugu channel tested positive and was admitted to Apollo Hospital for treatment. Then the Telangana Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ) and the Media Academy had prolonged financial assistance of Rs 20,000 for the journalist’s hospitalization. As many as 23 journalists had tested positive in a single day on June 15 in Telangana.

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