Largest chunk of Govt ads goes to English newspapers

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) English language newspapers corner the largest chunk of Government advertisements, followed by Hindi newspapers.

For example, this year, newspapers published in English got DAVP advertisements worth over Rs 20 crore as against Rs 10 crore worth of adverstisements given to Hindi newspapers, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The advertisement given to various regional languages newspapers was within Rs two crore for each.

The Minister said his department was making special efforts to increase support through DAVP to vernacular newspapers in languages like Urdu, Sanskrit, Kashmiri, Dogri, Khasi, Sanhali, Bodo, Konkani, Maithali, Mainpuri, Nepali and those published in Jammu and Kashmir, Andman and Nicobar Islands and North eastern states.

He said a special policy package will be announced for these newspapers on October 2, the Gandhi Jayanti Day.

The Minister was replying to a question on the advertisements given to Urdu newspapers. He said the papers published in the language got between three to four per cent of the total DAVP budget for newspapers.

Mr Dasmunsi said the Ministry spent over Rs 39 crore and over Rs 40 crore on advertisements to newspapers in the last year and the year preceeding.

UNI