Govt to review new ad policy, PRB Act

New Delhi, Feb 5 (UNI) The new policy stipulating a three-year continued publication as condition for getting government advertisements will be reviewed.

The government would also have a re-look at the age-old Press and Registration of Books(PRB) Act of 1987.

These assurances were given to editors by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi here this evening while answering questions at the Editors Conference on the Social Sector Issues.

When an editor wanted to know why the condition of one year of publication for receiving government advertisement has been replaced by three years, the Minister said that was was done in view of the mushroom growth of newspapers.

A lot of newspapers go into publication and are registered for aid of the Deapartment of Advertising and Visual Publicity(DAVP) but are heard of no more after a year, the Minister said.

However, when a number of editors argued against the new provisions, the Minister said the government was open to their suggestion and would review the policy.

Mr Dasmunsi also said the PRB Act will also be reviewed and if needed amended.

The need for a review of the Act of the British Raj period was expressed by an editor when the Minister said that a Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill would soon be introduced. He wanted to know to whether the government was thinking of any similar exercise to update the PRB Act of 1867.

While agreeing that the Act was very old, the Minister said the government was ready to update it if needed.

UNI