Odisha announces benefits for working journalists
Bhubaneswar, June 7: The Odisha government on Thursday announced a string of benefits for working journalists including a death benefit of Rs 4 lakh and financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh in cases of permanent incapacitation.
Information and Public Relations Minister Pratap Jena said the journalists will get a death benefit of Rs 4 lakh and additional financial assistance from the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET) for critical illness where the expenditure exceeds Rs 2 lakh under the Health Insurance Scheme.
Earlier, the government had implemented the Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Jojana up to Rs 2 lakh with effect from June 1, 2018.
Over 3,000 working journalists were covered under the scheme in the first phase.
The Minister said that 3 per cent interest subvention up to Rs 25 lakh for house building loans to be provided to the journalists.
Subvention will be released annually after repayment of regular instalment with interest by journalists who have taken loans, he added.
Besides, 3 per cent interest subvention for four wheeler loan up to Rs 4 lakh and Rs 50,000 for two-wheeler loans will be provided by the government.
Educational assistance to the children of deceased working journalists will be provided at Rs 1,500 per month till Class 10 and Rs 2,500 per month for higher studies, the Minister said.
The state government will bear the cost up to Rs 10,000 per journalists to facilitate training of minimum 25 and maximum 35 journalists within the state institutions like IIMC in a block period of five years.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
