Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is expected to spend Rs 200 crore on media campaigns tom-tomming its achievements.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, approved a proposal of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry to spend Rs 630 crore to publicise the achievements and programmes of the government.
The government is expected to spend Rs 200 crore on publicity, which includes the “Bharat Nirman” campaign, this year.
The “Development Communication and Information Dissemination” scheme is part of the 12th Five-Year Plan.
The government has contended that the publicity blitz was required to make the common man aware of the benefits of various government schemes so that the benefits are realised to the maximum possible extent.
“The awareness drive will be implemented by the media units of the I&B Ministry and will cover outdoor publicity, electronic and print media, public information campaigns, press tours, conducted tours, people-to-people contact, special outreach programmes, live art and culture shows, and the new media,” said an official statement.
The government is expected to launch the new-look Bharat Nirman media campaign in August.
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