Press Sewa Portal Streamlines Periodical Regulations

The Press Sewa Portal has considerably transformed the regulation of periodicals in India, as highlighted by a report presented in the Lok Sabha. Over Rs 5.63 crore in penalties and the cancellation of 88,315 publications are among the key actions taken since the introduction of the portal.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan, emphasized the digitalization of the registration process, a shift from the Physical Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, to the newer, integrated Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023. A total of over 1.5 lakh newspaper registrations have transitioned to the digital portal.

Services such as periodical registration, ownership transfer, and circulation verification are streamlined, involving 780 districts. Since March 1, over 11,000 applications have been processed through the portal, marking a significant improvement in efficiency and transparency.