Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday sanctioned Rs 15 lakh ex-gratia each to the family of two journalists who died of COVID-19 while on duty.
This was informed by the BJD General Secretary (Media Affairs), Manas Mangaraj in a tweet.
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, Priyadarshi Patnaik, working as a correspondent for Odia newspaper ‘The Samaja’ from Hinjilicut in Ganjam district and K. CH. Ratnam (75), a resident of Gajapati district, who was working with the Hyderabad-based non-government company News Today Pvt Ltd ‘Eenadu’, a Telugu daily died at the COVID hospital in Bhubaneswar on July 11 and 12 respectively.
On April 27, the CM had announced compassionate assistance of Rs 15 lakh to any working journalist, who dies due to COVID-19 infection.
