KMC to revamp journal ‘Purosree’

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is working on a strategy to revamp the sale of its fortnightly  magazine Purosree, whose sales have been on the decline. Apart from introducing yearly subscription at a subsidised rate, the civic body is planning to sent it to the vendors across the city selling newspapers and magazines on pavements and railway stations.

“We are holding talks with the postal departments so that we can send copies to our yearly subscribers. The subscribers will have to pay Rs 200 only for yearly subscription,” an official associated with Purosree’s publication said.

The civic body spends a few crores for printing, paying honorarium to the writers and salary to the staff and the freelancers associated with the magazine.

However, the sales figure is not at all rosy. Not a lot of Kolkatans are aware that the KMC publishes such a magazine. It is available only at a counter inside the KMC and huge stocks of the magazines lie piled up there.” Every month, thousands of copies are printed but only a handful are sold,” an official said.

Purosree had started its journey way back in 1976 with a poem written by eminent poet Sukanta Bhattacharjee and drawings by Sunil Das. Eminent personalities used to pen works for the Purosree that included the late Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shakti Chattoapdhyay, Soumitra Chatterjee, P.K. Banerjee to name a few.

The writers used to depict their view and perception of Kolkata city. Nowadays it’s only the work of the KMC is printed in the magazine. “The KMC records say that the magazine is sent to 13 districts; but a mere 1 per cent of the copies printed are sold. Who will buy another mouthpiece of the Trinamul Congress and advertisement of government’s work by spending Rs 10?” a CPI(M) councillor said.

An administrative official argued that Purosree has an archival value and it is not brought out solely for the purpose of sale.