INS flays hike in freight charges

MUMBAI, FEB 26: The Indian Newspaper Society INS expressed concern over the proposed four per cent increase in freight rates of all commodities and said newspapers and magazines should have been exempted from the hike announced in the rail budget.

Appealing to the railway minister to withdraw the increase at least in so far as newspapers and magazines were concerned, it said the newspaper industry as a whole was at present passing through difficult times with declining advertising revenue, sharp increase in cost and stiff competition from the electronic media.

There had been no increase in the freight rates on newspapers in the past, INS president Mammen Mathew said adding while in the 1998-99 budget proposals, an increase in the freight rates for magazines was announced, it was subsequently withdrawn.