I&B Ministry
Of cable TV operators, news channels and MIB minister Venkaiah Naidu
MUMBAI: Indian cable TV operators and MSOs had better watch out. The information and broadcasting ministry is looking at strict enforcement of its earlier notification which mandates the carriage of 20 DD and Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV channels to all their subscribers in cities where digitisation has been implemented. Some channels of the pubcaster and the two parliament channels have to be carried mandatorily on non-digitsed cable TV networks also.
This is one of the first commands that has been fired by the new information & broadcasting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, following a meeting with bureaucrats in Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi over the weekend. Apparently, the issue of DD channel carriage came up in the meeting and Naidu told the officials to crack the whip.
The ministry and the pubcaster have in the past too attempted to have the MSOs and cable TV operators follow the mandate, but many have not complied
In his meeting on Friday, according to a PTI report, Naidu also directed I&B ministry officials to prepare a comprehensive policy on information and communication at the earliest. The policy will specify roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders to maximise the communication outreach to the people.
On Sunday, Naidu expressed unhappiness over the fact that sensationalism has been getting precedence on news outlets over news about the country’s developmental initiatives.
He has also asked the media to be constructive and added that he would be engaging and interacting with media, media owners and editors over the next few days. “The agenda of the country should be development,” he stated in a PTI report.
I&B Ministry
Press Sewa Portal digitises 1.5 lakh records, streamlines periodical registrations: MIB
Online system spans 780 districts; Rs 5.6 crore penalties, 88,315 titles cancelled
NEW DELHI: India’s print media registry has quietly moved from dusty files to digital dashboards. The government has digitised more than 1.5 lakh historical records of newspapers and periodicals and shifted registrations fully online through the Press Sewa Portal.
Introduced under the Press and Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Act, 2023, the portal now handles all applications for registering periodicals, replacing the earlier paper-heavy system created under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which has since been repealed.
The digital shift brings a wide range of services onto a single platform. Publishers can now register new periodicals, revise registrations, transfer ownership, file annual statements, pay penalties online and apply for circulation verification without navigating government offices.
As part of the rollout, specified authorities in 780 districts across India have been onboarded onto the platform. Since 1 March 2024, the portal has processed 11,081 applications and issued certificates across different categories.
The transition has also brought stronger compliance. According to government data, Rs 5.63 crore in penalties has been collected through the portal so far. States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh account for some of the largest penalty collections.
At the same time, the authorities have carried out a major clean-up of inactive or non-compliant publications. A total of 88,315 periodicals have been cancelled nationwide, with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi among the states reporting the highest number of cancellations.
The government says the system will continue to evolve based on feedback from users. The Press Registrar General of India (PRGI) regularly reviews suggestions to improve services and make compliance easier for publishers.
The full list of registered newspapers and periodicals is available on the PRGI website under the Registered Titles section.
The information was shared in a written reply in the Lok Sabha by minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs L Murugan, responding to a question from Damodar Agrawal.
