I&B Ministry
DD catering to N-E states’ language & culture
NEW DELHI: Aware about the diversity of the states in north-east India, the government has established separate Capital Doordarshan Kendras for each of the states, the Parliament was told.
Minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told the Lok Sabha in reply to a question that these kendras were telecasting their local programmes according to the needs of the States from 3 pm to 7 pm daily on terrestrial mode.
Some states also have one to two other Programme Generation Facilities (PGF), he added.
Rathore also said that Prasar Bharati was launching a new 24×7 Satellite TV Channel “DD Arunprabha” shortly from Itanagar in addition to the existing North East Channel at Guwahati.
I&B Ministry
India tightens anti-piracy law, blocks sites and Telegram channels
New rules bring jail terms, fines and faster takedowns of illegal content
NEW DELHI: The Government of India has stepped up its fight against film piracy, invoking stricter provisions under the Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023 to crack down on unauthorised recording and distribution.
The law now imposes tougher penalties, including jail terms ranging from three months to three years and fines starting at Rs. 3 lakh, which can go up to 5 per cent of a film’s production cost. The provisions target both illegal recording in cinemas and unauthorised online transmission.
In a fresh enforcement push, authorities have notified the Telegram platform to act against piracy, leading to the identification of 3,142 channels allegedly distributing copyrighted content without permission. In parallel, access to around 800 piracy websites has been blocked through internet service providers.
The action has been taken under the Information Technology Act 2000, which empowers the government to direct intermediaries to remove unlawful content. The framework is further reinforced by the Information Technology Rules 2021, requiring platforms to act swiftly when notified of violations.
An institutional mechanism is also in place, allowing copyright holders and authorised representatives to file complaints through designated nodal officers. Once verified, these complaints trigger takedown notices to intermediaries for disabling access to infringing content.
The update was shared in Parliament by Government of India minister of state information and broadcasting l murugan in response to a query from Parimal Nathwani.
The government’s latest move signals a sharper, more coordinated approach to tackling piracy across both physical and digital channels. For the film industry, it is a step towards protecting revenues, while for viewers, it reinforces the shift towards legitimate content consumption.
