CAG raps Punjab public relations dept for projecting ruling party leaders

The CAG has rapped information and public relations department of Punjab for spending crore of rupees on projecting either the individual personalities of the ruling party or the political party itself in advertisement and publicity campaigns that were not in conformity with principles governing expenditure and the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

In a report on public sector undertakings for the year 2016-17 tabled in the ongoing budget session in Punjab Vidhan Sabha here today, the CAG found that during the year 2015-17, an amount of Rs 236.73 crore was spent on information and publicity out of which as much as Rs 184.94 crore (78 per cent) was spent in 2016-17, which was also the election year for the state.

The CAG conducted an audit of publicity campaigns and advertisements released during 2015-17 to assess and evaluate whether these adhered to the guidelines and principles approved by the Supreme Court and advertisement policy framed by the department.

"During April 2016 to January 2017, the DIPR, Punjab produced 60 video clips, on the social welfare schemes of the government of Punjab out of which 27 video clips of duration ranging between 60 seconds and five minutes for television telecast at a cost of Rs 2.12 crore and incurred Rs 9.64 crore for telecast.

"These clips were telecast between April 2016 and January 2017 on different television channels. In 20 video clips, the personalities of Parkash Singh Badal (referred to as Badal Saab) and Sukhbir Singh Badal were depicted and the social schemes highlighted in the clips were projected to be the personal initiatives of these two political leaders. In seven video clips, the Punjab government was referred to as 'Badal Sarkar'," as per the report.

The department in an advertisement campaign during July 2016 to November 2016 had hired 50 LED vans through a contract to cover rural and urban areas.

"These vans showed an animated movie which was interspersed with short videos that disseminated information about the schemes/achievements of the government and four intervals were inserted by editing and re-voicing. In the first and second interval, Punjab government was referred to as 'Badal Government' and individual personalities of Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal were projected. The DIPR incurred an expenditure of Rs 12.52 crore on the organization of 6,018 shows of the movie," it noted.

Similarly, 11 audio clips through 234 broadcasts on seven radio stations (September 2016-December 2016) were run at the cost of Rs 45.94 lakh for the advertisements of the schemes, programmes, achievements of the state government. These audio clips referred to 'Punjab Government' as 'Badal Sarkar', it said.

"Thus, the expenditure of Rs 25.60 crore was incurred on projecting either the individual personalities of the leaders of the ruling party or the political party which was against the spirit of the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

The department in its reply said that audit observations had been noted for future compliance and projection of the individuals in the advertisements would be avoided in accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines.