BJP MP Sushil Modi has brought attention to the government on the hiking price of newsprint and the crisis faced by the newspaper industry in connection with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. He also asked the government to scrap the 5% import duty on newsprint.
India is the largest importer of newsprint around the world and 45% of India’s newsprint is sourced from Russia.
Modi said that owing to reasons like container shipping newsprint getting stuck, supply disruptions caused by workers’ strikes in factories in Finland, and the truckers’ strike in Canada have resulted in a shortage of newsprint supply in India.
Modi said that Newspapers play an important role in empowering the citizens with information and are essential in a democracy.
He further urged the government to intercede by securing the supply of newsprint, and offer relief by cutting down 5% import duty on newsprint and introducing a scheme to incentivize domestic newsprint production.
