I&B Ministry
I&B ministry mulls panel to take ‘tough’ look at DTH
NEW DELHI: India’s information and broadcasting ministry proposes to set up a committee to look into the regulatory framework for the KU-band DTH sector and possibly suggest more stringent measures.
The step is being envisaged in the wake of a public interest litigation that has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking directions from the court to the government to review DTH operations in the country in the absence of a proper regulatory framework and access to porn stuff through such a network.
The proposed panel would be headed by I&B ministry secretary Naveen Chawla and is likely to have some representation from other ministries too, including law and home.
However, some industry observers described this proposed government panel as another step towards controlling of the media and taking steps to promote Indian pubcaster Doordarshan, which is set to launch a KU-band DTH service, but is finding it difficult to market it commercially in the absence of popular entertainment channels on the platform.
Earlier this month, during the first hearing of the PIL, filed by the Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies chairman N Bhaskara Rao, also considered close to I&B ministry Jaipal Reddy, the court directed the government to revert within a month’s time with a detailed reply on the issues raised by the petitioner.
At the moment, apart from the proposed DD venture, there is only one DTH service operational in the country and that is promoted by Subhash Chandra companies under the brand name Dish TV. An application from Tata-Star combine seeking a licence for a DTH service is still pending with the I&B ministry, despite having clearances from other places, including the home ministry.
Petitioner Rao, who has pointed fingers at the usual suspects like national security, has stated that “the security clearances given” by the government to respondent No. 4 to the case (Dish TV) for starting a DTH service is “not at all foolproof and many compromises are being made at the cost of national security.”
Pointing out that the existing security clearance procedure needs review and tightening so as also to protect India’s cultural heritage.
Rao in his petition has further stated that the existing DTH guidelines have been framed with the backing of a national policy and are not at all adequate and foolproof, especially against facilitating in accessing pornographic channel/content by a subscriber of a DTH service and also in the transmission of secret messaging and possible misuse of communication channel by terrorist groups.
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.
