Ahmedabad: Gujarat Media Club, an umbrella organisation of media community in Gujarat, announced on Wednesday establishment of a Welfare Fund to create a supportive mechanism for its members and whole fraternity in times of medical and life-threatening distress.

Gujarat Media Club in a statement issued on Wednesday said that Nirnay Kapoor, President, GMC has approved a proposal for creation of ‘Welfare Fund’ of Rs. 1,00,00,000 (Rupees One Crore), aimed at allocating resources for the welfare initiatives dedicated to the journalist members of the club and the wider professional fraternity. After due deliberations on the matter, it was unanimously decided by board to set-up a Welfare Fund as proposed by President of the Club.

Under, the newly launched welfare fund, the Club already processed and approved financial assistance to the families of two deceased journalists. The Club handed over cheques of Rs One lakh each to families of late Shri Anand Pattani, a Surat-based TV journalist and Nitin Gaikwad, News Cameraman working with Ahmedabad based news portal.

The’Welfare Fund’ amounting to Rs. 1,00,00,000 (Rupees One Crore) will be utilized with an aim to provide health and death benefits to the members of the club or their family in case of demise of the member of the club. The next kin of club members will get financial assistance through group insurance/health policy while non-club members will get Rs 1 lakh in cases of sudden or accidental death keeping the maximum age bar of 50 years in cases of accidental deaths.

Non-Club members working as journalists with any recognised Print, TV and Digital (online) media within the State of Gujarat besides media entrepreneurs having a registered media organisation/ entity in Gujarat will covered under the fund.

The creation of welfare fund signifies the club’s dedication to members’ well-being, offering financial assistance during unexpected challenges, such as medical emergencies or accidents. Additionally, it will play a vital role in crisis management, responding promptly to emergencies and reinforcing a sense of community, collaboration, and mutual support among its members and wider fraternity of journalists.