₹6,491 cr spent on advertisements in media in eight years: I&B ministry

The Centre has spent ₹6,491.56 crore on advertisements in print and electronic media since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014, information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur told Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

While the government spent ₹3,260.79 crore on advertising in electronic media, it spent ₹3,230.77 crore in print media over the eight-year period.

Data shared by the minister showed a reduction in the expenditure on advertisements in print media over the last four years, and in electronic media over the last three years.

The minister shared the data while responding to an unstarred question by CPI MP Muniyan Selvaraj who sought a year-wise break-up of the expenditure on advertisements incurred by the government since 2014. Selvaraj also sought details of total expenditure on advertisements in foreign media during the given period.

In electronic media, the government said it incurred the maximum expenditure in the financial year 2016-17 when it spent ₹609.15 crore. This was followed by ₹531.60 crore in 2015-16 and ₹514.28 crore in 2018-19, Thakur said. Till December 7 this year, the government spent ₹76.84 advertisements in electronic media.

On advertisement expenses in print media, the minister said maximum expenditure was recorded in 2017-18 when the government spent ₹636.09 crore. This was followed by ₹508.22 crore in 2015-16 and ₹468.53 crore in 2016-17. Till December 7 this year, the government spent ₹91.96 crore in advertisements in print media.

All the expenditure was incurred by the government through the Central Bureau of Communication, Thakur said.

Responding to another query, the minister said there was no expenditure incurred by any ministry or department of the government on advertisements in foreign media through the ministry of information and broadcasting.