MP govt hikes honorarium of senior scribes

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

Months ahead of the assembly polls, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh today decided to hike the monthly honorarium for senior journalists from Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000.

The state Cabinet also brought down the eligibility age of the journalists to claim the honorarium to 60 years from current 62 years, a state minister said.

The cabinet meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The cabinet also approved to bring non-accredited scribes under the health insurance cover, and resolved to pay 50 per cent of the premium, he said.

“The government has decided to hike the honorarium for elderly journalists and extend the health insurance cover to non-accredited journalists,” Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Minister Narottam Mishra told reporters after the meeting.

Among other decisions, the cabinet approved setting up an agriculture college at Kurai tehsil in Sagar district, the minister said.

Madhya Pradesh is going to polls later this year along with Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.PTI