 bill  no  v of  2008 the working journalists welfare fund bill, 2008 a billto provide for the establishment of a working journalists welfare fund at the national level for promoting welfare of the journalists employed in various newspaper establishments and for matters connected therewithbe it enacted by parliament in the fifty-ninth year of the republic of india as follows:—1  (1) this act may be called the working journalists welfare fund act, 2008short title and commencement(2) it extends to the whole of india5(3) it shall come into force at once2 in this act unless the context otherwise requires,—definitions(a) "accident" with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions means an unexpected event causing injury, damage to any part of the body or death and includes any fatal disease which is contracted by a working journalist within or outside the working hours;(b) "competent authority" means any authority authorised by the government, by notification in the official gazette, to perform all or any of the functions of the competent authority as may be specified therein under this act;5(c) "fund" means the working journalists welfare fund established under section 3;(d) "government" means the central government;10(e) "newspaper establishment" means an establishment under the control of any person or body of persons, whether incorporated or not for the production or publication of one or more newspapers, news, magazines or for conducting any news agency or news syndicate within the country;(f)  "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act;15(g) "working journalists" means a person whose principal vocation is that of a journalist and who is employed as such in, or in relation to, any newspaper establishment and includes an editor, a lead writer, news editor, sub-editor, feature  writer, copy taster, reporter, correspondent, cartoonist, news-photographer and proof reader working in such establishment3 with effect from such date as the government may, by notification in the official gazette, appoint in this behalf, there shall be established a working journalists welfare fund, money into which shall be—establishment of working journalists welfare fund20(a) given by the government after due appropriation made by parliament fromtime to time;(b) contributed by a newspaper establishment in such manner as may be prescribed; and(c) received as voluntary donations from any individual or organisations25and the said fund shall be managed by a board of trustees appointed under section 4board of trustees304 the board of  trustees shall have one chairman, who shall be nominated by thegovernment and as many other members as are in the operation of the government required to manage the fund and all such member shall be elected from representatives oforganisations representing the working journalists and other newspaper employees in the countryapplication of fund5 the fund shall be spent by the board of trustees to meet the expenditure inconnection with measures which in the opinion of the board of trustees are necessary or expedient to promote the welfare of the working journalists in the country and in particular for—35(i) providing and improving housing and recreational facilities; (ii) rendering adequate, financial assistance in case of infirmity and disabilitydue to accident or old age;40(iii) rendering adequate financial assistance to the kith and kin of a workingjournalist who dies prematurely due to an accident or otherwise;(iv) providing school and colleges education to the dependent children of a working journalist who dies prematurely or becomes infirm or disable and for the improvement of their standard of living and nutrition; or disable and for the improvement of their standard of living and nutrition;(v) providing and improving such other welfare measures as may be prescribed from time to timeregional committees56 the provisions of section 5 shall be carried out under the guidance andsupervision of the board of trustees who shall constitute regional committees in different parts of the country for the effective implementation of the said provisionssavings7  the provisions of this act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of anyother law for the time being in force regulating many of the matters dealt with in this actpower to make rules108 the central government may,  by notification in the official gazette, makerules for carrying out the purposes of this act statement of objects and reasonsin a democracy like ours, press plays  a very significant role in its proper functioningit highlights the shortcomings in the governance of the country which compels the government to rectify the errors and function properly for the welfare of the people but journalists play vital role in giving the necessary news and maintaining the press function properly the journalists collect news undeterred by season, hostile atmosphere and violence they do not bother for scorching heat, chilly winters and intermittent rains be it a bandh, demonstration, communal riot, curfew or even war the journalist gathers the news for his newspaper establishment even if there is a risk to his own life a photographer of a newspaper establishment covers every important aspect of a news risking his own life sometimes the risk becomes a reality and mishaps take place which render the near and dear ones of such journalists totally helpless the newspaper establishments do provide some relief but that remains inadequate the entire life style of dependents of such a journalist changes overnight some incidents such as the death of a correspondent while covering the demonstration or the death of correspondents in tragic road accident have highlighted the dangers involved in this profession and the helplessness of their near and dear ones in some cases money is collected by the colleagues of the deceased to help the dependents but not in every case in such prevailing circumstances it is felt that a welfare fund for the working journalists should be established in the country in which money be given by the central government and newspaper establishments from time to time and welfare measures should be undertaken therefrom for the working journalists and for their near and dear ones so that the journalists could discharge their duties fearlesslyhence this billss ahluwalia financial  memorandumclause 3 of the bill provides for the establishment of working journalists welfare fund clause 4 provides for a board of trustees clause 6 provides for contributing regional committees the bill, if enacted, will involve expenditure from the consolidated fund of india it is estimated that a sum of rupees fifty crores is likely to be incurred as recurring expenditure every yeara non-recurring expenditure of rupees twenty crores is also likely to be incurred memorandum regarding delegated legislationclause 8 of the bill empowers the central government to make rules for carrying out the purposes of the bill the delegation of legislative powers is of a normal character, as the matters to be prescribed are of details only———— a billto provide for the establishment of a working journalists welfare fund at the national levelfor promoting welfare of the journalists employed in various newspaper establishments and for matters connected therewith————(shri ss ahluwalia, mp)gmgipmrnd—4740rs(s-5)—29-12-2008