Lok Sabha Question No. 4540 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-29
Subject: Newspapers/Magazines
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA

## GOVERNMENT  OF INDIA MINISTRY  OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4540 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.3,2017

## NEWSPAPERS / MAGAZINES 4540, SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING  be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of newspapers/  magazines  being published  in the country at present, the details thereof,  State and UT-wise/language-wise;
- (b) whether the objectionable  content is being published in many newspapers/  magazines in the country;
- (c) if so, the action  taken against such newspapers/magazines  and their publishers; and
- (d) whether the Government  proposes  to set up any body for keeping  vigil on newspapers/magazines and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY  OF INFORMATION  & BROADCASTING {COL  RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE  (Retd.)}

- (a) Registrar of Newspapers  for India (RNI),  a media unit under Ministry  of Information & Broadcasting, is mandated  to register  and keep the record of all the newspapers  and publications thought  out the country. During the year 2015-16, I,10,851 newspapers/magazines  were published  in the country.  The details of these registered publications  StatefuT-wise  and language-wise,  is placed at Annexure.
- (b) & (c) In case objectionable content is published by newspapers/magazines  the Press Council  of India (PCI), a body under this Ministry having  the statutory  power  under the Press Council Act, 1978, takes action on the erring newspapers/magazines after receiving  complaints  from the individual/authority  etc., as per the inquiry procedure laid down in Section  14 of above  Act. The concerned  newspapers/magazines  are censured  / admonished  and wamed, as the case may be.

PCI has also framed  guidelines compiled in the form of book "Norms of Journalistic Conduct Edition,  2010" for the adherence by the print media.

- (d) Press Council  of India has already been set up for the purpose as a quasi-judicial statutory organization under an Act of Parliament to preserve the freedom of the press and to maintain and improve the standards  ofnewspapers and news agencies  in India. As the watch dog ofthe print media, it has always laid special  emphasis on media responsibility to refrain from  publishing an,.thing obj ectionable/derogatory content.

***  t(

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## Annexure

## ANNEXURE AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART  (A) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED OUESTION NO.4540 FORREPLY  ON 29.3.2017

## TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS  REGISTERED WITH RNI (State / UT's & Language  wise)

| STATE/U.T'S             | ASSAM ESE   | BENGALI   | BILINGUAL   | BODO   | DOCRI   | ENGLISS   | GUJARATI   | HINDI   |
|-------------------------|-------------|-----------|-------------|--------|---------|-----------|------------|---------|
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR       | 0           | 7         | 8           | 0      | 0       | 46        | 0          | l)      |
| ISLANDS ANDHRA PRADESH  | 2           | 7         | 394         | 0      | 0       | 897       | 5          | 86      |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH       | 0           | 0         | 0           | 0      | 0       | t8        | 0          |         |
| ASSAM                   | 332         | I3I       | 33          | 4      | 0       | I l9      | 0          | 30      |
| BIHAR                   |             | 7         | 46          | 0      | 0       | 99        | 0          | t469    |
| CHANDIGARH              | 0           | 0         | 54          | 0      | 0       |           | 0          | 135     |
| CHATTISG ARH            | 0           | 3         | 5l          | 0      | 0       | 39        | 0          | 1325    |
| DADRA & NAGAR           |             |           |             |        |         |           |            |         |
| HAVELI & DIU            | 0           | 0         | 3           | 0      | 0       | 6         | o 8        | 17      |
| DAMAN DELHI             | 0 9         | 0 38      | 0 1566      | 0 0    | 0 0     | 3 4l l5   | l8         | 6 5431  |
| GOA                     | 0           | 0         | t'7         | 0      | 0       | JO        |            | 3       |
| CUJARAT                 | 0           | I         | 195         | 0      | 0       | 284       | 4693       | 240     |
| HARYANA                 | 0           | 0         | 165         | 0      | 0       | 160       | 0          | t373    |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH        | 0           | 0         | 4l          | 0      | 0       | 48        | 0          | 224     |
| JHARKHAND               | 0           | 5         | 3l          | 0      | 0       | 49        | 0          | 316     |
| JAMMU KASHMIR           | 0           | 0         | 90          | 0      |         | 43E       | 0          | 106     |
|                         | 0           |           | 336         | 0      | 0       | 789       | 2          | 79      |
| KARNATAKA               | 0           | 0         | 334         | 0      | 0       | 39s       |            | l4      |
| KERALA LAKSHDWEEP       | 0           | 2 0       |             | 0      | 0       |           | 0          | 0       |
|                         |             |           |             |        |         | 0         |            |         |
| MADHYA PRADESH          | 0           | 0         | 399         | 0      | 0       | 253       | 4          | E765    |
| MAHARASHTRA             | 3           | t4        | I t37       | 0      |         | 2521      | 355        | 2036    |
| MANIPUR                 | 0           | 0         | 49          | 0      | 0       | 25        | 0          | 2       |
| M ECHALAYA              | 0           | 2         | l3          | 0      | 0       | 29        | 0          | 4       |
| MIIZORAM                | 0           | 0         | l0          | 0      | 0       | 5         | 0          | 0       |
| NACALAND                | 0           | 0         |             | 0      | 0       | t8        | 0          | 0       |
| oRrssA                  |             |           | t46         | I      | 0       | 201       | I          | 4l      |
| PONDICHERRY             | 0           |           | 20          | 0      | 0       |           | 2          | I       |
| PUNJAB                  | 0           | 0         | t 6l        | 0      | 0       | t74       | 0          | 412     |
| RAJASTHAN               | 0           |           | 415         | 0      | 0       | t87 ,)]   |            | 55ll    |
| TAMIL NADU              |             | 3         |             |        | 0       | 996       | 4          | 62      |
|                         | 2           |           |             | 0      |         |           |            |         |
| TELANGNA                | 0           | 0         | 22          | 0      | 0       | 47        | 0          | ll      |
| TRIPURA                 |             |           | 9           |        | 0       | to        | 0          | 13583   |
|                         | 0           | lt8       |             | 0      |         | 823       | 3          |         |
| UTTAR PRADESH           | 0           |           |             | 0      | 0       | 138       | 2          | 2898    |
| UTTARAKHAND WEST BENGAL | 2           | I 35 85   | l6l 270     | 0 0    | 0 0     | 771       | l0         | 355     |
| TOTAL                   | J5.'        | 39J8      | 7134        | 5      | )       | 14083     | 5116       | 44557   |

TABLE  (Contd.)

| STATE/U.T's               | KANNADA   | KASHMIRI   | KONKANI MAITHILI   |    | MALAYALAM   | MANIPURI   | MARATI!!   | MULTI. LINCUAL   | NEPALI   |
|---------------------------|-----------|------------|--------------------|----|-------------|------------|------------|------------------|----------|
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | I           | 0          | 0          | I                | 0        |
| ANDHRA PRADESH            | ll        | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 6           | 0          | 9          | 59               | 0        |
| ARUNACHAL                 |           |            |                    |    |             |            |            |                  |          |
| PRADESH                   | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 7          | 0 0        | 0 10             | 0        |
| ASSAM                     | 0         | 0          | 0                  |    | 0           |            |            | 12               | l 0      |
| BIHAR                     | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 6  | 0           | U          |            |                  | 0        |
| CHANDICARH                | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | 0          | l8               |          |
| CHATTISGARH               | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  |             | 0          | 3          |                  | 0        |
| DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI      | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | 0          | 0                | 0        |
| DAMAN & DIU               | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          |            | 0                | 0        |
| DELHI                     | ll        | 0          | 0                  | 5  | 29          | 0          | t5         | t37              | l2       |
| coA                       | 4         | 0          | l                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | 34         | 6                | 0        |
| GUJARAT                   | 0         | 0          |                    | 0  | 4           | 0          |            |                  | I        |
| HARYANA                   | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          |            | zu               | I        |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH          | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | c          |                  | 0        |
| JHARKHAND                 | 0         | 0          | 0                  | q  | 0           | 0          |            | 9                |          |
| JAMMU KASHMIR             | 0         | 5          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | 0          | ll               | 0        |
| KARNATAKA                 | 4789      | 0          | 15                 | 0  | l8          | 0          | 30         | 49               | 0        |
| KERALA                    | t2        | 0          |                    | 0  | 2381        | 0          | 2          | 45               | 0        |
|                           | 0         | 0          | 2 0                | 0  | 6           | 0          | 0          | 0                | 0        |
| LAKSH DWEEP MADHYA        |           | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 2           | 0          | l0         | 38               | 2        |
| PRADESH MAHARASHTRA       | 0 35      | 0          | 5                  | 2  | 42          | 0          | 8242       | 349              | ll       |
| MANIPUR                   | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           |            | 0          | l6               | 0        |
| MEGHALAYA                 | 0         | 0          | 0                  |    | I           | q          | 0          | I 7              | 0        |
| MIIZORAM                  | 0         | 0          | 0                  |    | 0           | 0          | 0 0        | 0                | 0 0      |
| NACALAND                  | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          |            | 3l               | 2        |
| ORISSA                    |           | 0          |                    | 0  |             |            | I          | 4                |          |
| PONDICHERRY               | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  |             | 0          | 2          |                  | 0 0      |
| PUNJAB                    | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | 0          | 105              |          |
|                           |           | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 2           | 0          | 2_         | 33               | 0        |
| RAJASTHAN SIKKIM          | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | U           | 0          | 0          | 0                | 83       |
|                           |           |            |                    | 0  |             | 0          | 4          | 6'l              |          |
| TAMIL NADU                | t9        | 0          | 0                  |    |             |            |            | l0               | 0        |
| TELENGANA                 | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | 0          |                  | 0        |
| TRIPURA                   | 0         | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | I          | 0          | 2                |          |
| UTTAR                     |           | 0          | 0                  | 0  | 0           | 0          | 2          | 3l               | 0        |
| PRADESH UTTARAKHAND       | 0 I       | 0          | 0                  | 0  | I           | 0          |            | 9                | 5        |
| WEST BENGAL               |           | 0          | 0                  | 2  | 3           | 0          | 0          | 62               | 41       |
| TOTAL                     | 4885      | 5          | 21                 | l5 | 2540        | 64         | 83E2       | 1241             | 169      |

TABLE  (Contd,)

| STATE/U.T's               | ODIA   | PUNJABI   | S.\NTHALI   | SANSKRIT   | SINDHI   | TAMIL   | TELUCT   | URDU   | OTHERS   | TOTAL     |
|---------------------------|--------|-----------|-------------|------------|----------|---------|----------|--------|----------|-----------|
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | l3      | 2        |        | 0        | 94        |
| ANDHRA PRADESH            | 6      | 2         | I           | 0          | 2        | ll      | 4301     | '704   | 3        | 6506      |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH         | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 0      | I        | 7',| |
| ASSAM                     | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 8      | 34       | 7t2       |
| BIHAR                     | 0      | 2         | 0           | 2          | 0        | 0       | 0        |        |          | 19t2      |
| CHANDICARH                | 0      |           | 0           | I          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 3      | 0        | s63       |
| CHATISGARH                | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | t2     | 5        | 1440      |
| DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI      | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 0      | 0        | 32        |
| DAMAN & DIU               | 0      | 0         | 0           | I          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 0      | 0        | 19        |
| DELHI                     | 18     | 187       | 0           | ll         | 6        | l8      | t8       | '797   | 4l       | 12482     |
| GOA                       | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       |          | 0      | l5       | 140       |
| GUJARAT                   | 3      | 0         | 0           | 5          | z)       | I       | 2        | l4     | 0        | 5587      |
| HARYANA                   | 0      | 20        | 0           | 2          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 2l     | I        | 1783      |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH          | 0      | 2         | 0           | 2          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 6      | 2        | 1?q       |
| JHARKHAND                 | 2      | 0         | 3           |            | 0        | 0       | 0        | 4l     | 8        | 466       |
| JAMMU KASHMIR             | 0      | 4         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 393    | 7        | t055      |
| KARNATAKA                 | 0      | 0         | 0           | 2          |          | 48      | 15       | 183    | l8       | 6374      |
| KERALA                    |        | 0         | 0           | 2          | 0        | 2l      | 2        | 0      | l2       | 3226      |
| LAKSHDWEEP                | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 0      | 0        | 7         |
| MADHYA PRADESH            | 0      | 0         | 0           | d          | 9        | 0       | 0        | 78     | 2        | 9570      |
| MAHARASHTRA               |        | t2        | 0           | 8          | 52       | 43      | l5       | 366    | 7        | 15260     |
| MANTPU R                  | 0 0    | 0 0       | 0 0         | 0 0        | 0 0      | 0 0     | 0 0      | 0      | 40 44    | 179 94    |
| M EGHALAYA                |        |           |             |            | 0        |         | 0        | 0      |          |           |
| MIIZORAM                  | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          |          | 0       |          |        | l6t      | 183       |
| NACALAND                  | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 0      |          | tl        |
| ORISSA                    | t4'7 5 | 2         | 5           | 8          | I        | I       | 2        | 7      | 64       | r995      |
| PONDICHERRY               | 3      | 0         | 0           | I          | 0        | 100     | I        | 0      | 3        | r60       |
| PUNJAB                    | 0      | 924       | 0           | I          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 106    | 0        | 1883      |
| RAJASTHAN                 | 0      | 5         | 0           | 4          | 22       | 0       | 0        | 29     | z)       | 6238      |
| SIKKIM                    | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 2      |          | 114       |
| TAMIL NADU                | 2      | 3         | 0           | 2          | 0        | 4065    | 87       | 20     |          | 6148      |
| TELENGANA                 | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | I       | 319      | 80     | l3       | 491       |
| TRIPURA                   | 0      | 0         | 0           | 0          | 0        | 0       | 0        | 0      | 4        | l5t       |
| UTTAR PRADESH             | I      | 7         | 0           | 25         | 6        | 0       | I        | 1687   | 28       | 169E4     |
| UTTARAKHAND               | I      | 9         | 0           | 3          | 0        | I       | 0        | 88     | l3       | 3333      |
| WEST BENGAL               | l8     | 8         | 3           | 8          | 0        | 2       | 2        | I t't  | 25       | 5291      |
| TOTAL                     | 1534   | 1263      | t2          | 97         | t24      | 4325    | 476E     | 5006   | 606      | r1085r    |