Parliament Question: Government Press Units in Lakshadweep

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5509 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026) GOVERNMENT PRESS UNITS IN LAKSHADWEEP 5509. SHRI MUHAMMED HAMDULLAH SAYEED: Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state: a. the number and location of Government Press units functioning in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep; b. the current operational status of these press units including whether they are functioning at full capacity; c. the reasons for any delays, non-functioning or underutilization of Government Press units, if applicable; d. the total staff employed and the annual workload handled by these units; and e. the steps being taken by the Government to modernize, strengthen and ensure optimal utilization of Government Press units in Lakshadweep for timely production of Government publications and materials? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN) (a) to (e) At present, there is one Government Press unit in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, located in Kavaratti. This press unit is under the control of the Department of Printing & Stationery, UT Administration of Lakshadweep. The unit is functional, but not operating at full capacity, as a significant portion of official communication and publication work has transitioned to digital platforms and online dissemination systems. The relatively lower utilization of the Press is attributable to following reasons: • Increased adoption of digital governance and paperless systems • Reduced demand for bulk physical printing • The presence of legacy machinery requiring periodic maintenance • Logistical constraints associated with island conditions, including procurement of spare parts and technical support, • The availability of alternative printing arrangements for specialized or time-sensitive requirements. The Government Press has a sanctioned strength of 49 technical staff. Its current workload primarily includes printing of essential government documents, forms, examination materials,and IEC/publicity materials, which has seen a decline over time in line with increasing digitization. The Lakshadweep Administration has been taking measures from time to time to align the functioning of the Press with evolving requirements. These include: • Promoting digital dissemination to reduce reliance on physical printing • Rationalizing in-house printing based on demand • Phased replacement and selective use of machinery depending on operational needs • Optimal utilization of facilities for essential and urgent printing work • Re-alignment of manpower including redeployment where necessary • Availing external printing services, as required, for bulk or specialized jobs. *****