By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Ajmal Foundation, a prominent registered charitable organization of Assam, launched on 7th Feb in Guwahati an endowment programme called the AJMAL MEDIA WELFARE SCHEME in order to provide for the constitution of a welfare fund for the benefit of the working journalists [and retired working journalists] in the State of Assam.
AJMAL MEDIA WELFARE SCHEME will work for the benefit of working journalists in defence of democracy, human rights, justice and freedom of expression, said a press release from Ajmal Foundation. It was announced that the fund will be generated from a corpus fund of Rs. One Crore – which will be deposited in 4 years in as many installments of Rs 25 lac each. The Ajmal Foundation has already made a contribution of Rs 25 lac towards the Fund with the State Bank of India, Hojai Branch as the 1st installment. Moreover, there is provision that working journalists and reporters may pay atleast Rs. 100/- per month or more as they wish to the corpus fund to avail the benefit of the scheme. Financial assistance shall be paid out of the interest accruing to the corpus of the Fund. There shall be a Fund Committee comprising of representatives from the Foundation authorities and co-opted members from Media to administer the fund. The Committee shall be constituted in every three years.
Journalists and their families along with the organizers
The objectives of the Ajmal Media Welfare scheme
1. The scheme is primarily to encourage freedom of expression and the practice of journalism, and to provide humanitarian assistance to journalists whose lives and well-being are threatened.
2. The Fund will provide financial assistance to journalists whose lives are at risk or whose freedom of expression has been seriously infringed. Examples of fundable expenses are medical costs, equipment replacement costs as well as emergency travel costs for treatment.
3. Among other cases, the Fund will provide emergency assistance to journalists who faced special circumstances in extreme conditions and who loose their lives on duty.
Subject to the other provisions of these rules, a Working Journalist shall be eligible for consideration for sanction of assistance under these Rules if his/her annual income from all sources taken together does not exceed Rs 1.2 lac only and a retired Working Journalist shall be eligible for consideration for sanction of assistance under these rules if his annual income from all sources taken together does not exceed Rs One Lac. In the event of death of a working journalist or a retired working journalist, a fixed sum of money as determined by the Committee may be paid to the widow and in the event of the deceased not being survived by his widow, equally to the minor children.
In the event of death of a working journalist, in addition to assistance provided, the Committee may sanction further educational assistance in favour of the children of deceased. In the event of permanent incapacitation of a working journalist on account of accident, disease or any other reason, the Committee may sanction a lump sum grant to the working journalist so incapacitated and in addition, educational assistance to the children.
Application for the grant of financial assistance under these rules shall be submitted to the Convener of the Committee in the form prescribed in Schedule-I, which shall be accompanied by a report in the form prescribed in Schedule-II of the Scheme. In sanctioning assistance, the Committee shall take into consideration the financial condition of the applicant.
The families of 10 journalists who were victims of violence and tragic occurrences in recent times in Assam were given cash assistance of Rs.25,000/- at the launching ceremony on 7th February at Guwahati Press Club. The beneficiaries of the scheme on the launching program are the families of the following journalists:
1. Mr. Indra Mohan Hakatham, Agia (Amar Asom); 2. Mr. Prahalad Goala, Deopani (Asomia Khabar); 3. Mr. Muslim Uddin Ahmed, Murajar (Asomia Pratidin); 4. Mr. Nurul Hoque, Jugijan, Hojai (Satantra Awaz); 5. Mr. Harish Chandra Boro, Mushalpar, Bagsa (Asomia Pratidin); 6. Mr. Dineswar Brahma, Gauripur, Dhubri (Bodosa & Ajir Batori); 7. Mr. Ratneswar Sharma, Pathshala, Barpeta (The Assam Tribune); 8. Mr. Monikon Das, Tamulpur, Bagsa (Ajir Batori); 9. Mr. Dipak Sargiyari, Goureswar (North-East Times); 10. Mr. Sanjay Kalita, Chaigaon (News Live);
Special beneficiaries of the program received Rs. 10,000/- each. They are S/o Naba Pathak (Ajir Dainik Batori) and Hiten Mahanta (Freelancer).
[Picture courtesy: Ajmal Foundation]