In a response to an Right to Information (RTI) application filed by a Mumbai-based activist, the Central government’s Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) said the Narendra Modi government has spent Rs. 4343.26 crore on publicity in four years since 2014, it was reported.
The activist, Anil Galgali, sought the expenditure details on print media, electronic media and outdoor advertisements from BOC. In reply, BOC’s Financial Advisor Tapan Sutradhar informed that the government had spent Rs. 953.54 crore in its first nine months – from June 2014 to March 2015, in which print, electronic and outdoor publicity accounted for Rs 424.85 crore, 448.97 crore and 79.72 crore respectively.
In 2015-16, the expenditure increased to Rs.1171.11 crore, which was followed by an expense of Rs 1,263.15 crore in 2016-17. The following year, the expenses came down to Rs 955.46 crore. Perhaps due to criticism from several quarters, the government had been compelled to spent Rs 307.69 crore less than the previous year.
But with the Lok Sabha elections of 2019 not too many months away, there is fear among many that the expenses may soar this year, said the Galgali.
