State plans publicity blitzkrieg

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The ruling Congress in the state is set to launch a massive publicity blitz in the run-up to the crucial byelections to 18 Assembly constituencies in the next five months, and to boost the party image before the general elections less than two years from now. The Congress wants to counter YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, and the Telangana protagonists, through mega publicity campaigns, highlighting the government's development works and welfare schemes.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is currently in Delhi, is scheduled to meet Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia to seek additional funds for the state for 2012-13. The state government wants to increase the allocation for publicity by as much as 350 per cent. As per the plan panel's internal note prepared for AP (2012-13), the state is set to get an overall hike in the allocation by 13.80 per cent or Rs 6,000 crore over last year's approved plan outlay of Rs 43,000 crore.

In terms of increase in the outlay for 2012-13 over 2011-12, after "information and publicity", is "welfare of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Minorities" with an incr-ease of 62.09 per cent. The budget for these sections is likely to go up to Rs 5,158.47 crore as against Rs 3,182.44 crore during 2011-12. The state government plans to spend about Rs 120 crore on publicity this year.

The information department has asked for Rs 279 crore during 2012-13. Though only Rs 50 crore was allocated for publicity last year, the government spent an additional Rs 200 crore. With the bypolls round the corner and state Assembly polls less than 24 months away, the government may spend even more during the current financial year. Important sectors such as energy, housing, nutrition and water supply and sanitation will see an unfortunate decrease in allocation. Their allocation may fall by 33.65, 17.06, 3.90 and 2.97 per cent respectively over the previous year. The state government has bought slots in local TV channels for enhanced visibility.