Media personnel to be considered as frontline workers, says Stalin
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President and the Chief Minister-in-waiting, MK Stalin, on Tuesday, said media personnel will be considered as frontline workers and the necessary benefits will be extended to them. In a statement, Stalin said the media is an essential part of democracy and it is fulfilling its duty of reaching out with the news to the people. The media personnel are risking their lives during natural calamities and they will be considered as frontline workers.
Earlier, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha had declared media professionals accredited with the state government as 'frontline workers'.
While making the announcement, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said journalists were risking their lives while doing their duty during this "dangerous period of COVID-19 pandemic".
"Therefore, we have decided to declare all accredited journalists as frontline workers in Madhya Pradesh. They will be taken care of," Chouhan said in a video statement posted on the Twitter handle of the Chief Minister's Office.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday declared working journalists of the state as frontline COVID-19 warriors.
While approving a proposal to this effect, the chief minister said, journalists, are doing a great service to the state by providing seamless news feed and making people aware of coronavirus-related issues.
"They are a great support for our war against COVID-19," a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.
The decision would benefit over 6,500 journalists.
