I&B Ministry
FM P-III auction: EMD, bidders initial eligibility declared
NEW DELHI: Even as the day of the e-auction of the second batch of FM Phase III on 25 October 2016 approaches, the Government has released the earnest money deposit (EMD) by the pre-qualified bidders and the initial eligibility points (IEP) of each of these.
According to a list put up on the website of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Entertainment Network (India) Limited of the Times Group tops the list with an EMD of over Rs 375 million (Rs 37.5 crore) thus gaining 15,000 eligibility points. This is followed by Ushodaya Enterprises Private Limited with around Rs 133.3 million (around Rs 13.33 crore) as EMD,getting 5331 IEP and Kal Radio Limited with EMD of Rs 133 million (Rs 13.3 crore) and 5320 IEP.
All the 11 bidders have put in an EMD of less than Rs 130 million (Rs 13 crore). The list of pre-qualified bidders for e-Auction of the second batch of private FM Radio Phase-III channels:
No. Name of Applicant EMD
Initial Eligibility Points
1 Abhijit Realtors& Infraventures Private Limited Rs
2,58,75,000 1035
2 Dharmik InfomediaPrivate Limited Rs
7,75,000 31
3 EntertainmentNetwork (India) Limited Rs
37,50,00,000 15000
4 Hotel Polo TowersPrivate Limited Rs
1,25,000 5
5 JCL Infra Limited
Rs19,50,000 78
6 Kal Radio Limited
Rs 13,30,00,000 5320
7 Malar PublicationsPrivate Limited Rs
5,26,50,075 2106
8 Purvy BroadcastsPrivate Limited Rs
10,32,500 41
9 Rockstar EIPrivate Limited Rs
1,25,000 5
10 Sambhaav MediaLimited Rs
6,88,50,000 2754
11 South Asia FMLimited Rs
4,40,00,000 1760
12 The Malayala Manorama Company Limited Rs 1,75,50,025
702
13 The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co Ltd Rs 1,76,00,000
704
14 Ushodaya Enterprises Private Limited Rs
13,32,98,950 5331
As stipulated in the notice inviting applications of 20 June 2016, bidders are required to submit their bid for at least one city in the first clock round. Any bidder failing to do so in the first clock round will forfeit its EMD in its entirety. The ministry said any assistance in this regard is available on contact helpdesk +91-124- 430 2039 or support@c1eauctions.com.
The second batch of FM Radio Phase-III channels comprises 266 channels in 92 cities. The channels include 227 channels in 69 fresh cities and 39 channels in 23 existing cities which had remained unsold as there were no bids. As in the first stage, the e-auctions will be conducted by C1 India Private Ltd. A pre-bid conference was held on 11 July 2016, followed by training and then a mock auction earlier this month.
The first payment of 25 per cent of the successful bid amount will be made within five calendar days, and the remaining within 15 calendar days of the close of the auction and notification of successful bidders by the Government.
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.
