21st August, 2003
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting  


51,960 NEWSPAPERS REGISTERED WITH RNI


Lok Sabha

As on 31st December, 2001, there were 51,960 newspapers of all periodicities registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), out of which 18,582 were weeklies.

Giving this information in reply to a question by Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot in Lok Sabha today, the Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad said that 275 newspapers were categorized as big and 3557 as small newspapers on the basis of their claimed circulation.

He said that as on December 2002, 623,430 and 127 small, medium and big newspapers are empanelled respectively with DAVP. The Minister said that most of the applications for empanelment and rate renewal had been considered and decided upon by December 2002. DAVP issues advertisements out of funds placed with it by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as also other Ministries/Departments, Shri Prasad added.