The Maharashtra government has issued an addendum in its 17 April 2020 order and also exempted print media from lockdown from 20 April 2020 onwards, according to the Press Trust of India. However, door to door delivery of newspapers and magazines will remain prohibited during the lockdown in the light of Covid-19 pandemic.
The government said on 17 April that industrial activity would resume in special economic zones (SEZs) and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas in 20 districts from 20 April. A variety of sectors have been allowed to operate in the state. Maharashtra has about 230 industrial zones developed by the MIDC. The relaxation will not apply to the 12 municipal corporations, which have been declared as red zones.
Meanwhile, the postal department has extended concessions up to 30 June 2020 for the Marathi newspaper publishers, who are facing financial problems due to lockdown. The publishers will now be allowed to send their March, April, and May editions to their subscribers at a time, at concessional rates, Sakal Times has reported.
Earlier, the All India Marathi Editors Association had requested the postal department to ease the conditions this month, and the department has given a positive response. The All India Marathi Editors Association president Balachandra Kulkarni said that many publications were lying in the press, and many were not getting printed at all as private printing presses were not exempted from the lockdown.
“We feared that our printed, as well as unprinted editions, would go to waste, leading to losses. But thanks to the post office, we will be able to send two-three editions at a time to our subscribers,” Kulkarni said.
In 2024, we are looking at full recovery and growth-led investment in Indian printing
Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. It created the category of privately owned B2B print magazines in the country. And by its diversification in packaging, (Packaging South Asia), food processing and packaging (IndiFoodBev) and health and medical supply chain and packaging (HealthTekPak), and its community activities in training, research, and conferences (Ipp Services, Training and Research) the organization continues to create platforms that demonstrate the need for quality information, data, technology insights and events.
India is a large and tough terrain and while its book publishing and commercial printing industry have recovered and are increasingly embracing digital print, the Indian newspaper industry continues to recover its credibility and circulation. The signage industry is also recovering and new technologies and audiences such as digital 3D additive printing, digital textiles, and industrial printing are coming onto our pages. Diversification is a fact of life for our readers and like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.
India is one of the fastest growing economies in nominal and real terms – in a region poised for the highest change in year to year expenditure in printing equipment and consumables. Our 2024 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock – to emphasize your visibility and relevance to your customers and turn potential markets into conversations.
