india

Updated: Apr 23, 2020 18:38 IST

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday announced that the state government will provide insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh each to all journalists in Haryana who are reporting during the coronavirus pandemic, news agency ANI reported.

Khattar’s announcement comes at a time when scores of media professionals have tested positive for coronavirus while performing their duties during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Nearly 50 journalists in Mumbai and not less than 20 journalists in Chennai tested positive for Covid-19 recently.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that the administration will start testing media personnel for coronavirus. The testing began on Wednesday at a dedicated Covid-19 centre in Delhi.

State govt has decided to provide insurance of Rs 10 lakh each to all journalists who are reporting during #Coronavirus pandemic: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar (File pic) pic.twitter.com/9u7U8pi9lJ — ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2020

“Dear friends from media, Testing of media persons has started at a covid test centre. I wish u all very good health,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted out.

The Karnataka government had also issued a similar order on the Covid-19 testing of media persons who are working in the field during the coronavirus crisis.

In its advisory, the central government on Wednesday urged all media professionals to take care of their health and observe necessary precautions.

“It has come to the notice of the Ministry that a large number of media persons have recently contracted with Covid-19 while covering the happening in certain parts of the country,” the statement read.

Print and electronic media are part of essential services and professionals working in the field are exempt from the lockdown. India entered the ninth day of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown which will come to an end on May 3.