Birmingham-based dual language publication The Sikh Times has unveiled plans to roll out a paid-for online e-paper subscription service.

The scheme aims to reach a global audience who currently miss out on the Handsworth operation's 60,000 UK print run.

Editor Gurjeet Bains and publisher Jaspal Singh, who are husband and wife, are expecting the service to be launched shortly.

It will cost £3.20p for four weeks, with the fifth week free, or £33 a year. Mrs Bains said: "Every newspaper wants to reach out to its target audience and we believe this is one way in which we can do that."

The newspaper is in its fifth year after being launching at a site on Soho Road.

It has now moved to bigger offices at the Business Village at nearby Alexandra Road.

Mrs Bains said: " It was very important that we stayed in Handsworth." Considerable research was carried out before launching, and a decision was made to split the paper's editorial content into 21 pages of Punjabi and 31 of English.

Students at university as well as members of Sikh communities were quizzed as part of a wide-ranging study.

It became apparent that generations who had been brought up in the UK maintained a fascination with Punjabi issues and the Sikh religion - but they were not fluent readers of Punjabi.

Mrs Bains, formerly a journalist at the Chronicle in Northampton, said: "In fact, less than one per cent of under-35s can read the language, although they speak it." The mixed language content, it is hoped, meets the requirements of all generations.

Mrs Bains said the aim of the 79p weekly newspaper could be reflected by the flags on its masthead - the union flag first, alongside the Sikh flag.

She said: "The Sikh community is the largest ethnic minority in Britain and we need to tap into that.

"That is why we have the union flag first on the mast-head. We want people to feel empowered to say they are British Sikhs and that they have a responsibility to their society."

The editorial content includes hard news, court copy, political insights from London-based experts, and input from the publication's three strong strong team in Jullandar in the Punjab.

It features strong sports content - reflecting interests from football to cricket and the Punjabi sport Kabaddi.

The newspaper also reflected the concerns of Sikhs during the row surrounding the play Behzti at Birmingham's Rep in 2004.

This year as editor of The Sikh Times she received the Media, Sports & Arts Award at the Lloyds TSB Asian Jewel Central Awards.

Mrs Bains is also the first first female chairwoman of the Institute of Asian Businesses, a board member of the Birmingham Chamber and a strategic adviser on the board of Birmingham Divercity, as well as an ambassador for the 2012 Olympic bid. ..SUPL: