📰 Tamil Nadu Journalist Welfare Board: A Lifeline for Journalists. But Are All Benefiting? Is It Reaching Everyone? In a landmark move to recognize and support the press community, the Government of Tamil Nadu established the Tamil Nadu Journalist Welfare Board in 2021, under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister. The initiative aims to provide financial and social security to working journalists and their families, acknowledging their vital contribution to society especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when journalists were officially recognized as frontline workers. 📌 Purpose and Formation The Journalist Welfare Board was formed following an official announcement made during the 2021–22 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly session. The objective is to oversee and implement structured welfare schemes for working journalists across the state. To support its functioning, the government mandated that 1% of advertisement charges from all government-approved ads be redirected towards the Journalist Welfare Fund—a dedicated corpus for journalist-centric welfare programs. 🆔 Membership and Access Membership application forms have been circulated to District Information and Public Relations Offices and the Press Release Section in Chennai. Journalists who fill and submit these forms are issued official membership cards, granting access to the Welfare Board’s schemes. However, despite the structured rollout, a significant number of journalists remain uninformed or unregistered, raising concerns about equitable access. However, despite these efforts, many working journalists across the state are still unaware of the benefits available and not all are receiving them. Here’s a clear breakdown of what is offered and what many may be missing: 💰 Journalist Welfare Fund To fund these benefits, the government ordered a 1% deduction from advertisement charges from various agencies. These funds go directly into the Journalist Welfare Board to support its activities. 🆔 Membership Cards Membership forms have been distributed to all district information offices and the Chennai Press Section. Once filled, journalists are eligible for membership cards that grant them access to welfare benefits. 📚 Education Assistance (For Two Children Per Journalist) Education Level Day Scholar With Hostel 10th Pass or Studying (Girls) ₹1,000 - 11th (Girls) ₹1,000 - 12th (Girls) ₹1,500 - 12th Pass ₹1,500 - UG Students ₹1,500 ₹1,750 PG Students ₹2,000 ₹3,000 Technical UG ₹2,000 ₹4,000 Technical PG ₹4,000 ₹6,000 ITI/Polytechnic ₹1,000 ₹1,200 👨👩👧👦 Other Welfare Benefits • Marriage Assistance: ₹3,000 • Maternity Assistance: ₹6,000 • Abortion/Miscarriage Aid: ₹3,000 • Spectacles Reimbursement: ₹500 • Natural Death Financial Aid: ₹50,000 • Funeral Expenses: ₹5,000 📋 Decision-Making Body The Welfare Committee includes: • Minister for Information and Publicity (Chairman) • 7 Official Members • 6 Non-Official Members They review and approve all applications for assistance. ❗ Why Awareness Matters While this is an incredible step forward, many eligible journalists are not receiving benefits simply because they don’t know how or where to apply. Some aren’t even aware such a board exists. ✅ What You Can Do • Check with your District Information Office for membership forms. • Share this information with fellow journalists. • Follow up on your application and keep records. 📣 Every journalist deserves dignity, support, and recognition. Let's ensure no voice behind the news goes unheard or unsupported.