An expert committee is in the process of finalising latest DAVP advertisement rates for newspapers,Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told the Rajya Sabha today. In the last two-and-a-half years,the rates have already been revised twice.The Rate Structure Committee is in the process of finalising the latest rates," she said responding to supplementaries during Question Hour. In addition to the two revisions,the minister said that as a special measure,the commission which used to be charged by the DAVP has not been charged in order to enhance the rates being charged by the newspapers. Vijay Jawaharlal Darda (Cong) who wanted to know if DAVP's advertisement rates have been finalised keeping in view the rising publication cost and the cost of inputs like increase in newsprint pages,hike in the wages of working and non-working journalists as recommended by the Wage Board and the expenditure on printing equipment. The DAVP,established in 1955,is the nodal multi-media advertising agency of the government. Regarding empanelment of newspapers with DAVP,the minister said the "criteria is very clearly laid down". Applications are received and there is no policy to reject them if they fulfil the criteria," Soni said. Soni also informed that as many as 205 applications for empanelment from newspapers and journals till July 31 this fiscal were approved.
