Wastage of Rs.2.98 crore from State Exchequer for Image Building exercise of Chief Minister, Odisha
( AG Audit Report exposed )
Just prior to General Election-2019, to develop clean image of Chief Minister , Odisha Sri Naveen Patnaik was a paramount task of Odisha bureaucracy as well as Biju janata Dal. The bureaucrats at the helm of affairs have left no stone unturned to glorify Chief Minister and keep his image clean before public by way of adopting multiple strategies including release of advertisements to Media. The whole exercise was to canvas vote in the name of Chief Minister. Chief Minister has been glorified not by work but by media-hyped propaganda funded immensely from state exchequer.
On 19.3.19, the Audit Inspection Report of office of Accountant General , Odisha presented to Department of I and PR , Govt. of Odisha exposed the wasteful expenditure Rs. 2.98 crore for “advertisement of Chief Minister as Best administrator”.
In the month of August, 2017, the Information and Public Relation Department placed work order to 13 Private TV Channels and four Radio Channels for wide publicity of Hon’ble Chief Minister , Odisha being felicitated as the Best Administrator by Outlook on 19th August ,2017. From 21.8.2017 to 25.8.2017. in prime time as per schedule. Accordingly 13 TV Channels and 4 Radio Channels telecasted / broadcasted the spot/message and placed the bill Rs.68,48,770.00. to the Department which was sanctioned in February, 2018.
Similarly, it was also noticed that one colour advertisement was published on 20th august 2017 with caption “ Our Dear CM awarded best Administrator of the Country” and on 23 January ,2018 with Caption “ India’s Adarsh Mukhyamantri Naveen Patnaik” was published in all Odia and English dailies and periodicals after incurring an expenditure of Rs. 2.29 crore.
AG Audit observed that the news was already an event in almost every print media , news and radi channel and Hon’ble Supreme Court clearly mentioned that no public money can be spent on such advertisements which is fraught to risk to use of public funds for advertising by public authorities to project particular personality , parties or government without any attendant public interest. The Department spent Rs. 2.98 crore to project particular personality violating the judgment of Hon’ble Supreme Court 2015 .
In reply to AG Report, the Deputy Secretary, I and PR Dept. stated in January, 2019 that as per decision of higher authorities and keeping in view of government advertisement policy , publicity requirements , important of the content as well as circulation of the news paper , advertisement has been released to the news paper for circulation under approval of the competent authority.
The reply was not acceptable to AG as the post/ designation of the higher authorities or competent authority on whose decision/ approval such advertisement incurring high expenditure was published violating the decision of the Supreme Court were not spelt out. Further in stead of incurring expenditure Rs. 2.98 crore for popularization of CM , the amount could have been utilized for showcasing different welfare scheme of the Government .
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date- 20.5.21
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