The print media advertisements also accounted for Rs 33,71,49,106 (over Rs 33 crore) for publicity of government policies and initiatives during the same period when BJD ruled the State.
The previous BJD-led Odisha government spent more than Rs 15 crore from the state exchequer through advertorials featuring former chief minister Naveen Patnaik and then secretary V K Pandian in daily newspapers ahead of 2024 simultaneous polls for the Assembly and Lok Sabha.
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi in a written reply to a query by BJP MLA Laxaman Bag informed this in a written reply in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
The government funds were used by the information and public relation department within a 16-month span from 2023 January to 24 May 2024 in publication of government programmes featuring the pictures of both Patnaik and Pandian. The television news channels and electronic media were however excluded from advertorial promotion.
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The print media advertisements also accounted for Rs 33,71,49,106 (over Rs 33 crore) for publicity of government policies and initiatives during the same period when BJD ruled the State.
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