Lok Sabha Question No. 2166 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-15
Subject: Field Office of Registrar of Newspapers
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INF€RMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.2166 TO BE ANSWERED ON I5.O3.2O17

## FIELD OFFICE OF REGISTRAR OF NEWSPAPERS

## 2166. DR. P. VENUGOPAL

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

- (a)  whether the Government  has decided to close down a field office of Registrar of Newspapers for India at Chennai and the branch of Press Information  Bureau in Madurai and if so, the detaiis thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b)  whether Tamil Nadu has a total ol a,225 titles and the office verifies 80100 titles a month and is so. the details thereof: and
- (c)  whether  the Government  is considering  to give power to state oflices to issue certificates  as applications  are still being forwarded to Delhi for allotting  registration certificate  and if so, the details thereof.2

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION  AND BRoADCASTING  {CoL  RA"TAVARDHAN  RATHoRE (Retd. f }

- (a)  Yes Sir. The Government  has closed down the field office of Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) at Chennai and a branch of Press Information Bureau (PIB) in Madurar.

The powers regarding registration  of titles are vested with the RNI Head Office in Delhi and the lield offices were only collecting  applications from new applicants for newspaper  registration  and forwarding  them to RNI Head Office, Delhi, and also sometimes assisting in the process of circulation verification  at the directions of Press Registrar. As the applications for newspapers  was made online, the field offices of RNI lost utility. Therefore, Government has decided to close down the field office of RNI at Chennai, alongwith field ofhces in other States, w.e.f. 30.07.2016. The work of circulation verification has been entrusted to PIB officers posted throughout India  who  have  been  designated as Additional/ Deputy/Assistant Press Registrar,  depending on their level, to perform  circulation verification and such functions  as may be assigned to them under section 19(A) of the Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867.

With regard to closure of the branch of PIB in Madurai, the Ministry had undertaken a structural review of PIB offrces to improve performance  and service delivery of Regional and Branch Offices. Depending  upon financial needs and requirements of Regional and Branch offices, the posts of Indian Information Service and other cadres were reallocated amongst such offices to ensure better utilization/ deployment of existing manpower. Accordingly, a decision was taken to close Branch offtce of PIB at Madurai among other branch offices w.e.f. 31.08.2016.

- (b) As on 09ft March, 2Ol7  ,  tLre total number of titles verified  in Tamil Nadu is 9,825. As far as the verifrcation of 80-100 titles a month, this depends on the number of applications received every month which varies from month to month.
- (c) No Sir. As per section 19(A) of Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, the Central  Government  may appoint a Registrar of newspapers and such other officers under the control of the Press Registrar for performing the function assigned to them under the Act. At present the certificates are issued by him from the Head Office, Delhi and Register is maintained  at Head Office. Delhi.