I&B Ministry
Broadcast expenditure 4x that of MIB’s information, film & secretariat sectors
NEW DELHI: Expenditure on the broadcasting sector alone in the past three years up to March 2015 has been more than three to four times the total expenditure on the other sectors covered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB): secretariat, film and information.
An audit of the Ministry’s accounts has revealed that during 2014-15, a total of Rs 2467.4 crore (including Rs 2004.41 crore as non-plan expenditure) as was set aside for broadcasting alone, while the expenditure on the information sector was Rs 466.4 crore (including Rs 269.84 non-plan); Rs 176.33 crore (including Rs 97.16 crore non-plan) on film and Rs 48.4 crore (including Rs 46.35 crore non-plan) on secretariat expenses.
During 2013-14, expenditure on broadcasting was Rs 2157.19 crore (including Rs 1733.38 crore non-plan) as against Rs 474.73 crore (including Rs 247.83 crore non-plan) on information; Rs 153.99 crore (of which Rs 90.32 crore was non-plan) on film; and Rs 42.31 crore (including Rs 41.47 crore non-plan) on Secretariat expenses.
The expenditure on broadcasting in 2012-13 was Rs 2069.09 crore (of which Rs 1654.33 crore was non-plan), as against Rs 381.22 crore (including Rs 234.75 crore non-plan); Rs 133.02 crore (including Rs 83.72 crore as non-plan); and Rs 41.93 crore (including Rs 40.36 crore non-plan) on Secretarial expenses.
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the earlier paper-heavy system created under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, which has since been repealed.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.
