RTI reveals Uddhav Thackeray’s govt spent Rs 155 crore on publicity campaigns

Mumbai, July 5: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Mahavikas Aghadi Government in Maharashtra has spent Rs 155 crore on publicity and social media campaigns for its various public schemes in the last 16 months, a Right to Information query revealed.

 

 

This came after Mumbai-based RTI activist Anil Galgali had sought information from the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations on various expenditures incurred on the campaign since the formation of the Mahavikas Aghadi government. The DGIPR provided expenditure details for 16 months from December 11, 2019 to March 12, 2021.

 

 

According to the revelation, the MVA government in 2019 has spent Rs 20.31 crore 2019, with the highest expenditure of Rs 19.92 crore on regular vaccination campaigns. Later, in the year 2020, a total of Rs 104.55 crore was spent on publicity campaigns of 26 departments. Rs 5.96 crore has been spent on the publicity campaign on the occasion of Women's Day. Rs 9.99 crore has been spent on the Padam department, Rs 19.92 crore on National Health Mission, Rs 22.65 crore on a special publicity campaign in four phases.

 

 

 

The cost of Rs 1.15 crore has been shown on social media. Rs 6.49 crore has been spent on Maharashtra Urban Development Mission in three phases. The Disaster Management Department has spent Rs 9.42 crore on the nature hurricane, of which Rs 2.25 crore has been shown on social media. The state health education department has spent Rs 18.63 crore. Rs 20.65 lakh has been spent on the publicity campaign of Shivbhojan and Rs 5 lakh has been shown on social media, reports India Today.

 

 

In the year 2021, 12 departments have spent Rs 29.79 crore till March 12, 2021. Once again, the state health education department has spent Rs 15.94 crore Rs 1.88 crore has been spent on Jal Jeevan Mission's publicity campaign, and Rs 45 lakh has been spent on social media.

 

The Department of Women and Child Development has shown an expenditure of Rs 20 lakh on social media at a cost of Rs 2.45 crore. The Minorities Department has spent Rs 48 lakh out of Rs 50 lakh on social media. The public health department has spent Rs 3.15 crore on 75 lakh social media.

 

 

According to Anil Galgali, the figure could be higher as the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations does not have 100 per cent information. "Expenditure made in the name of social media is questionable. Apart from that, the calculation of the expenditure shown under the name of Creative is giving rise to various doubts. In my letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray, I have asked him to upload the expenditure incurred at the departmental level, the nature of the expenditure, and the name of the beneficiary on the website," said Galgali.