Goa govt's computers, welfare and journalists-in-distress schemes...
Frederick Noronha
Empowering the fourth estate
By Menino Peres
A free and vibrant media is an essential element of a
democratic system, the reason why, both democracy and media
have flourished side by side in this country, since
independence. Both have also been victims of ferocious
attacks from the intolerant sections, and both have emerged
the winner in the end, with more strength than before.
Quite apart from such challenges, the media in the country
has been confronted with the challenge of rapidly changing
technology that has impacted the profession. How good a
journalist is now, also depends on how well one has
understood and exploited information enabling technologies.
The situation in Goa has been no different. And today, the
State of Goa has representatives in virtually every major
print and electronic media organization and their work is
reflected well in all quarters.
The Government of Goa has been performing its mandated role
of contributing to the freedom of the press. It has not
hesitated to provide assistance, whenever required by the
media, to help them to discharge their duties and
responsibilities without fear or favour.
Goa, perhaps, is one of the few States to introduce the 'Goa
Journalist Welfare Scheme' under which retired journalists
receive a pension of Rs 2000 per month. The Government has
also constituted the Patrakar Kritadnyata Nidhi, a fund under
which journalists in distress are given financial
succour to the extent of Rs 2 lakh for every case of a
distressed journalist.
Keeping in mind the needs of the journalist in an environment
where technology is crucial, the State Government has
announced a scheme to provide journalists based in Goa the
purchase of a computer/laptop system, so that it becomes
convenient for such journalists to have easier access to what
has today become the basic technology in their profession.
The scheme would empower journalists with greater means to
disseminate and spread information that is crucial to the
sustenance of a democratic system, such as ours.
The laptop scheme, was, in fact announced in 2004, but could
not be implemented in view of some lacunas in the scheme,
which have now cleared and this will certainly benefit more
and more journalists.
The scheme is open to all working journalists who are engaged
in the services under the World Journalists And Other
Newspapers Employees (Conditions of Service) and
Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1955. This will also apply to
journalists working in the electronic media organizations
which disseminates news on daily basis as well as print
publications like weeklies, monthlies or other periodicity,
provided it has at least one of its journalists accredited to
the Government of Goa under 'the State Media Representative
Accreditation Rules 2002'.
Under the scheme, which has been formulated to suit Goan
journalists, the Personal Computer mentioned therein is
either a desktop or a laptop with accessories used for a
computer, including UPS, printer, scanner, webcam, palmtop,
computer speaker, computer microphone, external hand disk,
pen drive, computer table and chair and other related
accessories which get developed from time to time.
Any working journalist is free to apply in the application
attached to the scheme. In order to be eligible, a journalist
should be a permanent employee of a registered media
organisation/s for at least three years and necessarily
authenticating documents in this regard should be produced,
if necessary, to the satisfaction of the Selection Committee.
In case of outstation correspondent or a freelance
journalist, the journalist will have to be accredited to the
Government of Goa under the Goa State Media Representation
Accreditation Rules, 2002 and should be base din Goa with a
domicile of not less than 15 years and shall produce a
certificate issued by a mamlatdar of the taluka he/she
resides in this regard, if the Selection Committee ask for.
The journalist, at the time of applying for the loan, is
required to furnish an undertaking from the management of the
media organisation he/she belongs to, stating that the
instalments of the said loan should be deducted from his/her
salary and remitted to the concerned bank. In case the
applicant journalist is a freelancer, he/she should have to
give an undertaking in the form of an affidavit that the
instalments would be deducted from his/her bank account,
while providing the bank statement of at least six months.
The Selection Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary
Information Shri Narendar Kumar which met recently, suggested
that journalists employed in the Electronic Media will have
to produce proof of registration of their organization.
Similarly, journalists who are not in position to furnish an
undertaking from Management for repaying of loan, can produce
post-dated cheque to the bank.
The applicant at a time of registration should be at least 54
years of age, taking into consideration the retirement ag is
58 years and the journalist who is employed on contract basis
will have to produce proof to the effect that he/she will be
in contract at least for 4 years. The Committee also
mentioned that a residential certificate, with proof at least
15 years of residence obtained from the Mamlatdar from
respective talukas the applicant resides in is sufficient to
be eligible under the scheme.
The Government has tied up with the Mapusa Urban Co-operative
Bank, with whom the journalist has to execute an agreement
for the loan, the maximum of which will be Rs 50,000 and the
interest accrued on the principal amount will be paid by the
Government. The eligible journalist can apply anytime of the
time.
[The writer is the Director of Information and Publicity,
Government of Goa.]