The Telangana government has announced a major expansion of journalist accreditation, with over 44,000 media professionals set to receive official recognition cards under updated guidelines.

Telangana government to issue 44,706 journalist accreditation cards under revised norms, expanding coverage across print, electronic and digital media

At a review meeting held at the Secretariat, Revenue, Housing and Information & Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy discussed the implementation process with I&PR officials. The Minister said the initiative reflects the government’s stated commitment under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to extend accreditation benefits to all eligible journalists.

Following consultations with journalist associations, the government issued GO 103, amending earlier norms to make the system more inclusive and transparent. As per the revised framework, 44,706 accreditation cards will be issued across print, electronic and digital platforms—an increase from the earlier figure of around 23,000.

Of the total, 16,056 cards are earmarked for state and district-level journalists, while 28,650 will be distributed at the constituency and mandal levels.

Officials indicated that the accreditation process will remain ongoing rather than a one-time exercise. The expansion is expected to improve access to official events and welfare schemes for media personnel, especially those working at the grassroots level.

Observers note that recognising journalists at local levels could strengthen reporting from smaller towns and rural areas, where access to institutional support has often been limited. At the same time, transparent implementation will be key to maintaining credibility and trust within the media community.