GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHERRY

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY

(G.O. Ms. No. 9, dated 9th July 2014)

ORDER

In view of giving widest possible media coverage by releasing advertisements by Government Department

and as well as in the interest of the exchequer of the Government and economic measures, it is essential to implement

the advertisement policy and guidelines for issue of Government advertisements to the print media.

2. Hence, the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry, after careful consideration is pleased to notify the

advertisement policy and guidelines as appended to the order for strict compliance by all concerned.

3. This order shall take immediate effect.

4. This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Department vide I.D. No. 37809/U.S.(F)/13,

dated 14-2-2014.

(By order of the Lieutenant-Governor)

K.T. ALAGIRI,

Under Secretary to Government (I & P).

Registered with the Registrar

of Newspapers for India

under No. M. 8270

Registered No. SSP/PY/44/2012-14

WPP No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-88/2012-14

Dated : 15-7-2014

Price : ` 8-00



La Gazette de L' État de Poudouchéry

The Gazette of Puducherry

PART - I



EXTRAORDINAIRE

EXTRAORDINARY

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Publiée par

Published by



Autorité

Authority

` 8-00

Prix : ` 8-00

Price : ` 8-00







2014 }

|

15 {

No.

Poudouchéry

Mardi

Juillet

2014 (24 Asadha 1936)

No.

Puducherry

Tuesday

15th

July

2014

[ 527 ]

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ADVERTISEMENT POLICY AND GUIDELINES FOR ISSUING OF

GOVERNMENT ADVERTISEMENTS

1. Release of advertisement :

1.1. The Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP), Puducherry is the Nodal Department for the

Government of Puducherry for issue of advertisement. Therefore, all Government Departments, Corporations, Boards,

Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous Boards, Co-operative Bodies/Institutions and Local Bodies, Societies which

are in receipt of Government grants shall route all their advertisements, whatever be the nature (tenders, recruitments,

auction notice, notifications, corrigendum and general publicity, etc.) only through the Directorate of Information

and Publicity, Puducherry for publication in newspapers/periodicals.

2. Procedure for release of advertisement:

2.1. The procedure of requisitioning department:

2.1.1. Whenever it is necessary to release an advertisement, either causal or obligatory, the officer authorised

to release the advertisement, after obtaining necessary administrative approval, shall send a requisition letter to the

Information and Publicity Department with advertisement for publication indicating the number of insertions required

and the size and area to be covered by the advertisement.

2.1.2. The requisitioning department shall send sufficient number of copies as may be required for the dailies/

periodicals, plus one copy for the use of the Information and Publicity Department well ahead of not less than

7 days before the date fixed for the release of the advertisement to the newspapers.

2.1.3. The requisitioning department shall also send the advertisement material directly to the Information

and Publicity Department but should not mark advance copies, spare copies, etc. to the newspapers/periodicals,

magazines of national and international level so that there may not be any chance of duplication. At the same time,

every advertisement material shall be accompanied by a separate covering letter.

2.1.4. Selection of newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and international level for the release of

advertisement is the sole prerogative of the Information and Publicity Department and as such the Information

Department releasing advertisement need not necessarily select the newspapers/periodicals being recommended by

the requisitioning department. Therefore, the requisitioning department should not mark copies of its letter addressed

to the Information and Publicity Department to the newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and international

level or in any other way divulge to the print media, the nature of its recommendation to the Information and Publicity

Department.

2.2. The procedure of Information and Publicity Department:

2.2.1. The Information and Publicity Department will consider the request received and select the list of

newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and international level taking into account the area and class of

readers to whom the particular advertisement is directed. The advertisement should then be released by the Information

and Publicity Department to the newspapers/periodicals.

2.2.2. If considered necessary, the Information and Publicity Department may add, prune or totally change

the media list recommended by the requisitioning department and if it is considered that the advertisement is not

necessary, may not release the advertisement at all, in which case the fact should be intimated to the requisitioning

department/office concerned. The requisitioning department may indicate specific reasons/justifications of the

advertisement to be released to the newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and international level of its choice.

2.2.3. For the release of advertisement to the print media, Form-I (as prescribed in the Annexure-I) is to be

used by the Information and Publicity Department, Puducherry.

3. The format of an advertisement :

3.1. The routine/classified advertisement in the print media is only an announcement and hence, it needs to

contain only vital information. Terms and conditions and such other details need not find a place in the advertisement.

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3.2. On top of the advertisement, the nomenclature viz., "Government of Puducherry" should be inscribed.

Below that, the name of the requisitioning department may be given. In the case of Boards or Corporations, the

name of the Board or Corporation alone will suffice on the top. The designation of the officer issuing the advertisement

with telephone number, office address and Pin Code may be given at the bottom of the advertisement. The website

address of the department may also invariably be furnished.

3.3. The emblem if used in the advertisement should be of small size and should be printed at the centre of

the advertisement and the advertisement matter should commence from the top itself, so as to avoid the wastage of

space on either side of the emblem.

3.4. The Release Order (R.O.) number of the Directorate of Information and Publicity must find place at the

left bottom of all the advertisements released by the Directorate of Information and Publicity. The Directorate of

Accounts and Treasuries should not pass the bill, unless the published advertisement bears this R.O. number.

3.5. With information technology encompassing the whole spectrum of life and considering its importance,

the Government on e-Governance and also complying with directives of the Central Vigilance Commission in ensuring

transparency and good governance, all the purchase/works tenders requiring publication in newspapers should

also be published in the website of the Government or department concerned.

4. Release of advertisement on contract basis:

4.1. The Government is not in favour of releasing advertisements for long periods on contract basis. Publicity

should be the only criterion for releasing advertisement. Advertisement should normally be released only when

there is something to be published like a new scheme, project, product, achievements of the Government in various

fields, year completion of the popular Government in power, other welfare/good-governance initiatives, birth/death

anniversaries of National/State leaders, other important occasions like National/State festivals, observation of certain

days/weeks such as, Environment Day, National Integration Day, Observation of Fire Safety Week, for Government

initiated awareness campaigns like AIDS awareness campaign, breastfeeding, mass drug administration programme,

ceremonial occasions like the Independence Day, Republic Day or an announcement of public importance.

4.2. The underlying motive behind issuing of Government advertisements should not be just to satisfy/

please/finance/compensate/sponsor some programme, individuals, or any media organisation. Therefore, no

advertisement should be issued to any journals/organisations/publications as a matter of routine. The Government

advertisements are not intended to be a source of financial assistance to newspapers/periodicals.

4.3. Advertisement will not be released to publications which are merely propagating religious activities.

4.4. Advertisement will not be released if any media is debarred by this department.

5. Greeting advertisements:

5.1. The Government is not in favour of issuing greetings in the form of advertisement for example

“with best wishes from ......................................”, “with best compliments of....................................” etc.

6. Fixing of rate for newspapers/periodicals:

6.1. The Media Empanelment Committee will fix advertisement tariff for the empanelled newspapers/

periodicals, magazines of national and international level by considering regularity and circulation (Clause 7.4.1

and 7.4.2) and reasonable standard under clause 7.2.7 (i to ix).

6.2. The rates fixed by the Government shall apply with immediate effect.

6.3. The rate fixed will be valid for two years or till the next rate revision whichever is earlier. No request

for upward revision of rates will be considered normally within this period. However, on grounds of increase in

circulation/production expenditure of the journal, if neighbouring State Government/Directorate of Advertising and

Visual Publicity (DAVP), Government of India has upwardly revised rates, the same could be considered appropriately

for the same journal. This is applicable for downward revision also, if such tariff change is affected by neighbouring

States/Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP).

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7. Empanelment:

7. 1. Procedure for empanelment:

7.1.1. Any newspapers/periodicals which is seeking fresh empanelment or renewal of empanelment may

submit its application to the Director of Information and Publicity-cum-Chairman of the Media Empanelment

Committee, furnishing their full details of publication in the application Form-II (as prescribed in Annexure-II).

The application shall be in the form that may be prescribed by the Government from time to time.

7.1.2. The Media Empanelment Committee will consist of the following members to advise the Government

on matters relating to releasing of advertisements.

(1) The Director of Information and Publicity

. .

Chairman

(2) The Deputy Director (Printing),

. .

Member

Directorate of Stationery and Printing, Puducherry.

(3) Newspapers publishers’ representative-one each from big,

. .

Members

medium and small category newspapers/periodicals published

or widely circulated in the Union territory of Puducherry

(to be nominated by the Director of Information and Publicity).

(4) Assistant Director (Press),

. .

Member-Secretary

Directorate of Information and Publicity, Puducherry

7.1.3. The Committee shall process the application and ensure after further enquiry that the application is

in complete shape with all particulars required so as to enable to take decision on its empanelment.

7.1.4. The Committee shall submit its decision to the Government for approval.

7.1.5. If the Government decides to empanel a daily/periodical, the same shall be communicated to the printer/

publisher of the newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and international level in Form-III (as prescribed in

Annexure-III).

7.1.6. In case of refusal of empanelment, the Director shall communicate the same to the applicant newspaper/

periodical, magazines of national and international level in Form-IV (as prescribed in Annexure-IV) forthwith.

7.1.7. The decision of the Government as to whether or not newspaper/periodicals, magazines of national

and international level may be empanelled shall be final.

7.2. Criteria for empanelment:

7.2.1. The Government will not henceforth, normally, release any form of advertisements, be it routine kind

or display advertisements/special issue advertisements/advertorials/sponsored features to any publications which

are not empanelled by the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Puducherry.

7.2.2. To derive the empanelled list of publications, the Directorate of Information and Publicity will process

and scrutinise applications received in the prescribed format from publications based on the following broad criteria

and submit the same to the Media Empanelment Committee for advice to the Government.

7.2.3. All newspapers/periodicals seeking empanelment for the first time should qualify invariably with the

following yardsticks. These are called as Criteria Governing Release of Government Advertisements.

(i) They must have been uninterruptedly and regularly under publication for a period of not less than

six months.

(ii) They should comply with the provisions of Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.

(iii) They should not have been unestablished by the Registrar of Newspapers for India at the time of

applying.

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(iv) The applicant should furnish attested copy of certificate of registration issued by the Registrar of

Newspapers for India in the name of the publisher and attested copy of declaration submitted by the

publisher in Form-16 before the competent authority as per the provisions of the Press and Registration of

Books Act (PRB Act) of 1867 along with the application form.

7.2.4. A publication, once empanelled, shall remain in the empanelled list unless there is a change in title,

place of publication, periodicity, change of publisher, change of advertisement rate and change in the mechanical

data of the publication as provided by the publication in the original or subsequent application form or have become

irregular in publication.

7.2.5. If such changes as mentioned above are effected in the nature of a publication, the empanelment will

cease to exist and the publication will be empanelled only after submission of fresh application in the same format,

to the Director of Information and Publicity.

7.2.6. Journals circulated at free of cost or journals meant for private circulation shall not be empanelled

and Government advertisement will not be released to such journals/publications. Similarly, journals which are merely

propagating religious activities need not be empanelled.

7.2.7. It must also be substantiated that the daily/periodical, magazines of national and international level

is being published at reasonable standard, which inter alia, means that—

(i) The print matter and photograph should be legible, neat and clear, without smudges, overwriting

and tampering.

(ii) There should not be repetition of news items, articles from other issues.

(iii) There should be no reproduction of news items/articles from other newspapers/journals and if so,

the source of news/articles should be mentioned.

(iv) Masthead on the front page should carry title of the newspaper, place and date and day of publication,

it should also carry the registration of number of Registrar of News Papers for India, New Delhi, volume and

issue, number of pages and price of newspaper/journal.

(v) The newspaper should also carry imprint line as required under Press Registration of Books Act.

(vi) The inner pages must carry page No., title of the paper, and date of publication. For multi-edition

publications, places of publications must be mentioned in the inner pages also.

(vii) A daily/periodical must contain a minimum 40% news items including editorials.

(viii) There should be a minimum of 16 pages for an A4 sized publication and 28 pages for A8 sized

publication exclusive of wrapper, in the case of broad sheet- sized publications; it should have at least

4 pages, and 6 pages for tabloid sized journals.

(ix) Newspapers/periodicals should have the following minimum print area.

Dailies

—

1520 std. col.cm./7600 sq. cm.

Weeklies/Fortnightlies

—

700 std. col.cm./3500 sq. cm.

Monthlies

—

960 std. col.cm./4800 sq. cm.

7.3. Regularity:

7.3.1. The applicant should have complied with the orders issued in G.O. Ms. No. 2, dated 15-5-2013 by the

General Administration (Information and Publicity), Puducherry for the proceeding three months.

7.4. Circulation:

7.4.1. A newspaper should have a minimum paid circulation of not less than 2,000 copies for being considered

for empanelment.

7.4.2. The applicant in respect of newspaper/journal should furnish the following authenticated figures of

circulations of Audit Bureau of Circulations/Registrar of Newspapers for India/Cost Accountant/Statutory Auditor/

Chartered Accountant as shown below:

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Circulation range

Certifying authority

Small category with a circulation up to 25,000 copies

Cost/Chartered Accountant/Statutory Auditor

per publishing day.

Certificate in prescribed Pro forma/Audit Bureau

of Circulations Certificate is mandatory

Media category between 25,001 and 75,000 copies per

(a) Statutory Auditor Certificate in the prescribed

publishing day.

Pro forma/Audit Bureau of Circulations Certificate

in the case of companies.

(or)

(b) Chartered Accountant Certificate in the

prescribed Pro forma/Audit Bureau of Circulations

Certificate in the case of an individual is mandatory.

Big category with a circulation above 75,000 copies

Audit Bureau of Circulations Certificate/Registrar

per publishing day.

of Newspapers for India Certificate are mandatory.

7.5. Documents required for empanelment by the Directorate of Information and Publicity:

7.5.1. Copy of the Registrar of Newspapers for India Registration Certificate and copy of declaration made

under the Press and Registration of Books Act.

7.5.2. Evidence of circulation (Chartered Accountant Certificate/Cost Accountant Certificate/Statutory

Auditor Certificate/latest Audit Bureau of Circulations Certificate as applicable).

7.5.3. Copy of the annual returns submitted to Registrar of Newspapers for India

7.5.4. A newly established daily newspaper seeking empanelment for the first time should furnish issues of

the first month of their publication along with issues of the sixth month. Weeklies, fortnightlies and monthlies should

furnish all issues of their six months of standing publication immediately preceding the date of application for

empanelment (this requirement is not applicable to publications which are in existence for three years).

7.5.5. Three copies of the rate card.

7.5.6. Photocopy of the Permanent Account Number (PAN) issued by the Income Tax Department

8. Advertisement in outlying regions:

8.1.

All the branch offices in the outlying regions viz. Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam should forward the

advertisements to the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Puducherry which will only release advertisement to

the newspapers/periodicals which are in circulation in the outlying regions, through the Collectors/Regional

Administrators concerned.

9. Suspension of newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and international level for government

advertisements:

9.1. A newspaper/periodical will not be considered for release of advertisements, if it is found to have

submitted factually incorrect information in the application.

9.2. The release of advertisement to the newspaper/periodical, magazines of national and international level

will be suspended if it is found to have discontinued its publication, changed its periodicity or its title or have

become irregular or is suspected to have been indulging in unethical or anti-national activities as found by the

Press Council of India (PCI) or if convicted by a court of law for such activities or violated the conditions of the

G.O. Ms. No. 2, dated 15-5-2013 issued by the General Administration (Information and Publicity) Department,

Puducherry .

9.3. The newspaper/periodical, magazines of national and international level will also be suspended if it is

found to have published advertisements contrary to or deviated from the instructions contained in the release order

issued by the Directorate of Information and Publicity. In addition to this, the Government may initiate action effecting

recovery of the loss incurred by the Government on account of faulted/wrong publication of advertisement or for

obtaining payment for advertisement published on the basis of production of false documents/furnishing of incorrect

information in the application form.

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9.4. Before ordering suspension of Government advertisements to newspaper/periodical on the above said

grounds, such newspaper/periodical, magazines of national and international level shall be given a hearing by the

Media Empanelment Committee and a final view shall be taken by the Government only after consideration of the

explanation offered during the hearing.

9.5. If a newspaper/periodical refuses to accept and carry an advertisement issued by the Directorate of

Information and Publicity, Puducherry on behalf of the requisitioning department persistently, the newspaper/

periodical, magazines of national and international level may be suspended from the panel for a period of six months

by the Director of Information and Publicity.

9.6. If a newspaper/periodical, magazines of national and international level fails to submit its annual returns

to Registrar of Newspapers for India or its annual circulation certificate from the prescribed agencies, the newspaper/

periodical may be suspended for such period as may be deemed fit.

10. Special advertisements to publications not included in the approved list:

10.1. Advertisements are normally to be issued to newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and

international level in the approved list, but, in case of special circumstances, Information and Publicity Department

may also consider issue of such special advertisements to newspapers/periodicals, magazines of national and

international level which may not be in the approved list with the prior approval of the Government.

10.2. The publication making the request shall give full particulars about the publication and justification

for releasing the special advertisement in such publications which are not in the approved list, to enable the

Information and Publicity Department to arrive at a decision.

10.3. While examining the request for release of advertisements to unapproved newspapers, periodicals,

souvenirs, etc. the information and Publicity Department shall consider the following factors.

(i) Special advantage in choosing the particular newspaper/periodical.

(ii) Will the purpose be served by publishing the advertisement in any of the newspapers in the approved list?

(iii) Purely from a publicity point of view, what is the necessity of choosing this media and whether the

advantage to be gained commensurate with the expenditure incurred (This is to be examined with reference

to the particulars furnished by the requisitioning department).

10.4. Advertisement may be given for souvenirs brought out by Registered Associations/NGOs/Universities/

Colleges/Schools/ Trusts, etc. in the interest of public on special occasions (Advertisements will not be issued to

souvenirs published by individuals or commercial establishments, organisations).

11. Payment of advertisement bills:

11.1. The advertisement bills against the advertisements released by the Directorate of Information and

Publicity shall be paid by the department concerned whose name appears in the release order. Every newspaper

should send advertisement bills towards publication of advertisement within 30 days, in duplicate along with

pre-receipt stamped contingent bill and two copies of the published journal/newspaper in which the advertisement

has been published to the department concerned for claiming payment (tear-sheet). The departments concerned will

make every effort to make payment within 30 days of receipt of the bills.

11.2. The payment bills in respect of advertisement published contrary to the instructions mentioned in

the release order or in case any deviation is effected after issue of release order, prior approval from the department

concerned/Information Department should be obtained. Payment will also not be made in case, the matter has been

wrongly typed/published/size altered unjustifiably, or not complying with the due date of publication of the

advertisement.

11.3. No newspaper will publish advertisement without receipt of proper release order.

11.4. The newspapers should strictly adhere to the date of publication of the advertisement given in the

release orders. Newspapers/periodicals/magazines may inform the Directorate within 48 hours, if they have not been

able to publish the advertisement on due date. Payment of advertisement bills in respect of advertisements which

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have not been published as per the date shown in the release order or bills of advertisements which are published

contrary to the instructions, or wrongly published will not be considered for advertisement release in future besides,

action being taken to black list such newspapers/periodicals from the media empanelment.

12. Interpretation and application:

12.1. If any question arises relating to the interpretation of these guidelines, it shall be referred to

Secretary (Information and Publicity) whose decision thereon shall be final.

ANNEXURE–I

FORM-I

(under clause 2.2.3)

GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHERRY

DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY

No.

/DIP/AD (PRESS)/PRA/2010-11.

Date: ...........................

Release Order

The Advertisement Manager,

................................................

Sir,

Sub.: Release of advertisement/notification - Reg.

****

Please find enclosed an advertisement material, which may be published in your daily/journal covering in

area not exceeding 2 Col. x .......................minimum space at the earliest.

The bill in duplicate along with two voucher copy and advanced stamped receipt may be forwarded to

................................................................................................................................................................for arranging payment.

Yours faithfully,

Assistant Director (Press).

Copy to:

..................................................

................................................ with reference to your letter No................................, dated................................

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ANNEXURE-II

FORM-II

(under clause 7.1.1)

GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHERRY

DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY

Application for Empanelment of Newspapers/Periodicals

1. Title of the newspaper/journal

Date of establishment of the publication/journal

3. Place of publication

4. Language

5. Periodicity

6. Selling price of single copy

7. Name and address of the publisher

8. Name and address of the editor

9. Name and address of the printer

10.

Name and address of the owner

11.

Rate card :

Sl.

Editions

State/Districts/Area

No. of

Tariff-black and

Rate for

If individual

No.

covered for

copies

white/colour/

display,

editions could

circulation

circulated

special position

classified,

be chosen for

(specify)

tenders etc.

publication

put tick mark

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Attach printed rate card of the publication.

Special packages

if any, like Southern

editions/Tamil Nadu/

Puducherry editions

(specify).

All editions

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12. Whether circulation figures have been

authenticated (Attach latest Audit Bureau of

Circulations Certified Copy/Statutory Auditor

Certificate/Chartered Accountant Certificate

as applicable).

13. Registrar of Newspapers for India Registration :

No. (Attach copy of Registrar of Newspapers

for India Registration Certificate)

14. Mechanical data—

Size of the publication

Number of pages

Total print area per page

Column width.......cm.

Column length.......cm.

15. Whether empanelled with Directorate of

Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), if so,

attach copy of rate approved by the Directorate

of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP).

16. Attested copy of the PAN card to be attached

Signature

Place :

Name

Date :

Designation

Office address :

(Seal)

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ANNEXURE-III

FORM-III

(under clause 7.1.5)

GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHERRY

DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY

No.

/DIP/AD (PRESS)/PRA/2010-11.

Dated ............................

MEMORANDUM

Sub.: Information and Publicity — Empanelment of newspapers/periodicals for the

year ................... Reg.

Ref.: Your Letter No..................., dated................................

****

In pursuance of Clause No. ............. of the “Advertisement Policy and Guidelines for Issuing of Government

Advertisement”, your periodical has been included in the empanelled list of journals as approved by the Government

for the period from.....................to.............................

The approved rate for publication of advertisement fixed for your publication is...................

DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY.

Thiru ...........................................

.....................................................

......................................................

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ANNEXURE-IV

FORM-IV

(under clause 7.1.6)

GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHKRRY

DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY

No.

/DIP/AD (PRESS)/PRA/2010-11.

Dated ..............................

MEMORANDUM

Sub.: Information and Publicity — Empanelment of newspapers/periodicals for the

year ................... Reg.

Ref.: Your Letter No..................., dated................................

****

In pursuance of Clause No............. of the “Advertisement Policy and Guidelines for Issuing of Government

Advertisement” stipulated by the Government of Puducherry, your periodical could not be included in the empanelled

list of journals approved by the Government at present due to the following reasons.

1.................................

2.................................

3.................................

DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY.

Thiru ...........................................

.....................................................

......................................................

online publication at “http://styandptg.puducherry.gov.in”

Government Central Press

Directorate of Stationery and Printing

Puducherry-9