Gujarat Govt steps up support to print media during COVID-19 crisis

Even as the print media industry has reached out to the Finance Minister seeking a bailout package during this turbulent and difficult period, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has lauded the efforts of the print media and stated that newspapers are the biggest and best source of true, accurate and credible information, besides keeping people away from fake news and presenting the true picture which is the need of the hour. The Chief Minister has assured that his Government will support the print media in this hour of need by clearing all the pending payments owed towards Government advertisement published until April 2020.

Welcoming this move, Shailesh Gupta, President, Indian Newspaper Society (INS), expressed his gratitude and appreciated the efforts of the Gujarat Chief Minister and said that it will provide much needed respite to the print media industry, which has lost nearly Rs 4,500 crore during the March-April period.

In a statement issued, Gupta further said, “We look forward to a similar approach from Prime Minister Modi Ji, as over the past few weeks INS has requested the Union Government for a stimulus package and seeks the support of all State Governments, PSUs as well as the Central Government (BOC) to take immediate steps to release the dues payable up to April 2020 towards Government advertisements to Print Media/ Advertising agencies, as this will go a long way in supporting and alleviating the woes of the Industry.”

It was pointed out that the print media industry directly and indirectly gives employment to 30 lakh people. “However, against all odds and inspite of the increasing costs with no returns, all necessary steps are taken to ensure that the newspaper reaches every morning to its readers in every nook and corner of the country regularly,” Gupta stressed.