NEW DELHI: To publicise the achievements and programmes of the government, the union cabinet today allocated a fund of Rs 630 crore to the Information and Broadcasting ministry.
"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of theMinistry of Information and Broadcasting for implementing the Plan Scheme 'Development Communication and Information Dissemination' during the 12th Plan period with an outlay of Rs 630 crore," an official statement released here said.
The cabinet nod comes at a time when the government is already running a high-profile 'Bharat Nirman' ad blitz and the next Lok Sabha elections are just round the corner.
According to the statement, the Plan scheme envisages making the common person aware of the benefits envisaged in various government schemes so that the benefit of these schemes is realized to the maximum possible extent.
The awareness drive will be implemented by the media units of the I&B ministry and would 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, the new media.
The government of India has launched many welfare and employment-generation schemes for the people in general and for the disadvantaged sections in particular by creating entitlements backed by legal guarantees for an individual`s rights, the statement said.
Asked whether the additional amount approved today would provide additional impetus to the 'Bharat Nirman' ad blitz which the government is currently rolling out, a senior official said a part of the fund could be used.
Sources, however, stressed the entire amount of Rs 630 crore would only be used in five years and not in a single year.
