Srinagar, Sep 17 — J&K has no journalist welfare scheme, the government admitted in response to an RTI query.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has no welfare scheme currently in force for journalists, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) said in response to the RTI plea, even though the administration continues to operate under a media policy that is now undergoing revision.
The disclosure is contained in a nine-page response issued by the Public Information Officer, DIPR, to an RTI application filed by Dr Shozena Amin. The response provides information on the government's media advertising policy, empanelment of media organisations, advertising expenditure, and journalist welfare.
Asked to provide details of welfare schemes or policies presently available for journalists and media persons in Jammu and Kashmir, the department's response said: “No welfare scheme is in vogue for Journalists in J&K.”
The response also indicates that the Media Policy 2020, which governs government advertising to media organisations, remains applicable throughout the Union Territory, including both Jammu and Kashmir divisions. The policy was approved by the Administrative Council on April 29, 2020 and notified through Government Order No. 05-JK(ID) of 2020 dated May 15, 2020.
According to the RTI response, the policy was approved for a validity period of five years, although it could be reviewed earlier if required. Asked whether it had subsequently been amended, modified, replaced, extended or renewed, DIPR stated that revision, amendment or modification of the policy was under process in the Administrative Department.
The RTI applicant sought year-wise and organisation-wise expenditure details for government advertisements released to television, print, radio and digital media during the previous five financial years.
Instead of providing the requested consolidated information, DIPR stated that the year-wise and organisation-wise expenditure details, bills and ledgers involved a "voluminous mass of decentralised operational records" and compiling the information into a consolidated format would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority under Section 7(9) of the RTI Act, 2005.
The department instead invited the applicant to visit the DIPR office on a working day to inspect original files, registers and financial ledgers and obtain necessary extracts or copies under the RTI Act after coordination with the Public Information Officer.
The same response was given for requests concerning expenditure on television advertising and separate expenditure on local J&K and national television channels.
Similar treatment was given to questions concerning advertising agencies and media-buying agencies. DIPR acknowledged that the department engages professional agencies, designers and printers through empanelment or open/limited tenders under GFR 2017 rules, while stating that detailed year-wise, agency-wise expenditure records and contracts constitute a large volume of decentralised records.
The RTI response also says the department has mechanisms for verifying that advertisements paid for by the government were actually published, broadcast or telecast.
For television, DIPR said it obtains telecast certificates, transmission logs, proof-of-play reports, recordings or other documentary evidence before making payment. For newspapers, copies are required to be submitted to DIPR before 10 a.m. on the day of publication, while TV, radio and digital media are required to provide supporting bills and broadcast or telecast records.
The document presents a mixed picture of the government's media administration: a formal policy framework exists for advertising and media empanelment, verification procedures are prescribed, and a revision of the 2020 policy is reportedly under process.