I&B Ministry
Manpower audit required to identify posts in Prasar Bharati that need to be filled: Rathore
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati has been advised to carry out a Manpower Audit to identify posts that actually need to be filled up, the Parliament has been informed.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said in reply to a question that though there are vacancies in All India Radio and Doordarshan Kendras, there is a need to reassess actual requirement of staff in Prasar Bharati keeping in view changes in broadcast technologies.
Earlier this year, a report had shown that although it had stressed the need for a manpower audit in view of technological upgradation, statistics showed that only 30093 of the 46756 sanctioned posts have been filled in the cash-strapped Prasar Bharati.
Of the total, the filled posts in All India Radio are 15538 out of the sanctioned 26129, while 14555 posts have been filled out of the 20627 sanctioned posts in Doordarshan.
In Group A, AIR has filled just 719 of the 2002 posts and DD has filled just 517 of the 1083 sanctioned strength.
After rigorous exercise, the Government had identified 3452 posts as essential category posts for filling up in Prasar Bharati. Out of these, 3067 posts were identified by Government as essential category of posts in Prasar Bharati to be filled up through direct recruitment have been revived.
A Special onetime dispensation was obtained to recruit these through Staff Selection Commission.
Prasar Bharati sources say Staff Selection Commission has already recommended 2367 candidates for appointment. Prasar Bharati is in the process of issue of appointment orders.
In addition, 38 middle/ senior level Programme posts have been revived for filling up on deputation basis.
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.
