Newsprint imports dipped by 50 per cent during pandemic years 2020 and 2021: Govt in Lok Sabha | India News

NEW DELHI: The import of newsprint dipped by 50 per cent during the pandemic years, according to data shared by the government in the Lok Sabha.
While the newspaper industry imported 12,96,354 kg of newsprint in 2019-2020, the figure fell by a half in 2020-21 to 6,48,620.
In a written reply to a question, Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the newspaper industry had imported 13,84,056 kg of newsprint in 2017-18, which declined to 6,48,620 kg in 2020-21 – a drop of nearly 46 per cent.

The import of newsprint further declined to 5,97,766 kg in 2021-22, Thakur told the Lok Sabha.
The world was in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic in the years 2020-21 and 2021-22.
He further added that the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) rate of 10 per cent was imposed on newsprint, which was subsequently reduced from to 5 per cent with effect from February 2, 2020.
The minister also said the representations were received from the newspaper industry for reduction/exemption from custom duties on newsprint which were examined by the Ministry of Finance.