Maharashtra Ministers To Lose Home-Delivered Newspapers

Maharashtra ministers and deputy chief ministers will no longer receive physical copies of newspapers and magazines at their offices and official residences from September 1.

The General Administration Department (GAD) has issued a Government Resolution stating that the existing arrangement of procuring and supplying printed newspapers and periodicals will be discontinued from September 1.

Instead, ministers will have to subscribe to newspapers and magazines online, with the cost of these subscriptions to be borne by the respective administrative departments from their available office expenditure provisions after submission of bills.

This decision marks a change from the longstanding practice under which the GAD procured newspapers and periodicals based on the requirements of ministers and supplied them to their offices and residences, with the bills being settled centrally.

However, the government has retained the existing arrangement for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with physical copies of newspapers and magazines to continue being supplied to the Chief Minister's Office and his official residence, with the expenditure being borne by the GAD.

The system of supplying printed newspapers and periodicals to ministers had been in place for several years before the government decided to discontinue it in favour of digital subscriptions.

The move is expected to reduce the financial burden on the state government and promote the use of digital media among ministers.

The decision will also help in reducing the environmental impact of printing and distributing physical copies of newspapers and magazines.

The state government's decision to shift to online subscriptions is in line with the growing trend of digitalization in various sectors.

The government's move is seen as a step towards modernization and reducing unnecessary expenses.

In the coming days, ministers will have to adapt to the new system and subscribe to online newspapers and magazines to stay updated on current events.

The decision is a significant change in the way ministers access information and is expected to have a positive impact on the environment and the state's finances.