Bhubaneswar: To fulfill the promise which committed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik earlier, Odisha Government sanctioned ex-gratia for the kin of the two journalists who succumbed to COVID-19 recently, informed Odisha government’s media advisor Manas Mangaraj, Thursday.
Hon'ble CM Shri Naveen Patnaik sanctioned ex-gratia of Rs.15 lakhs each to families of two journalists, Late Shri Priyadarshi Pattnaik of Samaja, Ganjam & Late Shri K. Ch. Ratnam of (News Today Pvt. Ltd.) Gajapati. I thank Hon'ble CM for supporting their families.@CMO_Odisha
— Manas Mangaraj (@ManasMangaraj6) July 30, 2020
Notably, the government had announced a compensation amount of Rs 15 lakh as a financial assistance to the families of those journalists dying of COVID-19 infection.
Family members of late Priyadarshi Pattnaik who was working for Odia daily The Samaja in Ganjam district and late K. CH. Ratnam who was working for News Today Pvt Ld in Gajapati district will be felicitated with the compensatory money.
Another journalist Simanchal Panda who was working for an Odia Magazine in Ganjam succumbed to the virus July 28.
“The amount would reach the respective families within two days,” added Manas.
PNN