RNI submits its annual report to I&B Minister Smriti Irani

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : “Press in India 2016-17”,  an Annual Publication of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), was presented by Principal Director General Ganeshan to Minister for Information & Broadcasting Smriti Zubin Irani in the presence of  N K Sinha, Secretary, here on December 15, 2017.

Speaking on the occasion, Irani said the publication was an important document to map the progress of the Indian newspaper industry in the last one year. The report gave a comprehensive analysis of the contours of the growth for the industry specially the growth amongst regional language publications. She said that in this digital era, the report has a seminal importance and assumes importance for the student community as well. She emphasized on the need to release this report digitally. She suggested that data in the report should be categorized genrewise, according to a PIB release.

The highlights of this year’s report includes 4,007 new publications registered during 2016-17, registered publications witnessed a growth rate of 3.58%, Uttar Pradesh(UP) topped the list of largest number of registered publications followed by Maharashtra, the largest number of publications registered in any Indian language is Hindi followed by English, according to the PIB release. RNI is mandated under Section 19 (G) of the PRB Act, 1867, to submit an Annual Report to the Government every year on or before December 31.

The largest circulated daily, according to the report, is ‘ Ananda Bazar Patrika’, Bengali, Kolata,  with a circulation of 11,16,428. The second largest daily is ‘ The Times of India’, English, Delhi Edition, with a circulation of  9,56,054. The largest circulated Hindi daily is ‘ Punjab Kesari’, Jalandhar, with a circulation of 7,14,888. The largest circulated multi-edition daily is ‘ Dainik Bhaskar’, Hindi, 46 editions, having a circulation of  47,36, 785. The second largest multi-edition daily is “The Times of India’, English, 33 editions, with a circulation of 42,68,703.