HYDERABAD: The first woman Information and Public Relations Minister in the State J. Geeta Reddy has said by entrusting significant portfolios to women in his cabinet, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajsekhara Reddy showed that he believed in true empowerment of women.

Speaking at a get-together of media persons held by the A. P. Union of Working Journalists here on 2nd June 2009, she said that I &PR Department was the voice of the government which took its programmes and decisions to the people. Responding positively to the appeal of Indian Journalists Union Secretary General K. Sreenivas Reddy to enhance Journalists Welfare Fund corpus fund, she said it would be enhanced to one crore rupees shortly.

The Government would shortly impose one percent levy on all government advertisements given to the news media and credit that amount to the Corpus of the Journalists Welfare Fund. The meeting of the Welfare Committee would be convened in August,she added.

Dr Geetha Reddy said that the Government would take steps to issue Arogya Sri Health scheme cards to all working and retired journalists in the state irrespective of their income. Responding to the appeal of the APUWJ to increase budgetary allocations to the Press Academy, she said she would impress upon the Finance Minister Mr. K Rosaiah to do the needful. She assured the media persons that she would request the Home Minister Ms Sabita Indra Reddy to convene the meeting of the high power committee to discuss attacks on journalists at an early date.

Dr, Geetha Reddy assured that the Government would take up the work of renovation and modernisation of Desoddharaka Bhavan, the State Head Quarters of APUWJ. Earlier, K Sreenivas Reddy, Secretary General, Indian Journalists Union congratulated the Minister and hoped that she would take all steps for the welfare of the working journalists in the state. D Amar, Chairman, Press Academy presented the publications of the Academy to the Minister.

The leaders of APUWJ, the AP Electronic Media Journalists Association, and AP Press Photographers Association presented bouquets to the Minister. While the President of APUWJ D Somasundar presided over the function, the General Secretary of the Union Y Narender Reddy welcomed the gathering. K Amarnath, Secretary, Indian Journalists Union and others participated.