BOC launches special drive for print media to settle dues

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Bureau of Outreach & Communication (advertising bill section) has launched a "Special Drive 2022" for the print media to settle old outstanding dues. Publications, having outstanding dues, need to submit documents by June 25, 2022.

In order to ease the hardship of the print media BOC has made every effort in processing and clearing of bills. The total amount released to the print media during the financial year 2021-22 amounts to Rs 179.04 crores which also includes payment of Rs 97.08 crore bills pertaining advertisements released prior to the financial year 2021-22.

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Further, a special drive-2020 was conducted by the BOC during the financial year 2020-21 for the RO's issued during 2008-09 to 2019-20 in respect of print media, where bills amounting Rs 7. 65.50 crores were called pertaining to two categories- (a) Bills submitted but temporary rejected/withheld, and (b) bills submitted online but physical copy not submitted.

Bills amounting Rs 38.5 crores were received in “Special Drive 2020” out of which the payment of Rs 21.97 crores have been released and bills amounting to Rs 7. 12.88 crores are withheld due to various discrepancies.

Bills amounting Rs 27 crores out of total bills called for were not submitted by publishers. The matter regarding (a) non-submission of bills called in “Special Drive 2020” and (b) bills submitted in “special drive 2020" but withheld due to various discrepancies was taken up by BOC with Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The Ministry has accorded an approval to give one more last and final opportunity to newspapers/journals by conducting "Special Drive 2022" to submit bills in respect of both categories pertaining to RO Year 2008-09 to 2019-20.