Srinagar, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Jammu and Kashmir government has no welfare scheme currently in force for journalists and media persons, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) has stated in response to an RTI application.
The disclosure was made in a nine-page response issued by the DIPR Public Information Officer to an RTI query filed by Dr Shozena Amin. The response covers the government’s media advertising policy, empanelment of media organisations, advertising expenditure and journalist welfare.
Asked to provide details of welfare schemes or policies currently available for journalists and media persons in Jammu and Kashmir, the department stated: “No welfare scheme is in vogue for Journalists in J&K.”
The response also said that the Media Policy 2020, which governs government advertising to media organisations, continues to apply across the Union Territory. The policy was approved by the Administrative Council on April 29, 2020, and notified through Government Order No. 05-JK(ID) of 2020 dated May 15, 2020.
According to the RTI response, the policy was initially approved for five years, with a provision for review earlier if required. Asked whether it had subsequently been amended, modified, replaced, extended or renewed, DIPR said revision, amendment or modification was under process in the Administrative Department.
The RTI applicant had also sought year-wise and organisation-wise details of government advertising expenditure on television, print, radio and digital media during the previous five financial years.
DIPR said compiling the requested information would involve a “voluminous mass of decentralised operational records” and would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority under Section 7(9) of the RTI Act, 2005.
Instead, the department invited the applicant to inspect original files, registers and financial ledgers at the DIPR office on a working day and obtain relevant extracts or copies after coordinating with the Public Information Officer.
A similar response was given to queries concerning expenditure on television advertising, including spending on local J&K and national television channels. Questions relating to advertising and media-buying agencies were also answered on similar grounds.
DIPR said it engages professional agencies, designers and printers through empanelment or open/limited tenders in accordance with the General Financial Rules, 2017. It cited the large volume of decentralised records while responding to requests for detailed year-wise and agency-wise expenditure and contract information.
The RTI response also outlines procedures for verifying government advertisements before payments are released. For television, DIPR said it obtains telecast certificates, transmission logs, proof-of-play reports, recordings or other documentary evidence. Newspapers are required to submit copies to DIPR before 10 a.m. on the day of publication, while television, radio and digital media are required to provide supporting bills and broadcast or telecast records.
The response therefore indicates that while Jammu and Kashmir has a formal framework for government advertising and media empanelment, no journalist welfare scheme is currently in force, and revision of the 2020 media policy remains under process.
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