Keen to regain proprietorial rights over its flagship programmes like NREGA and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the UPA is planning a sustained publicity campaign that will target every district in the country.
The publicity blitzkrieg appears prompted not just by the runaway success of the Bharat Nirman campaign before the 2009 Lok Sabha elections but also the recognition that credit for central schemes should not be usurped by state governments.
As part of its new outreach strategy, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has envisaged public information campaigns that will encourage direct contact with the aam aadmi with particular focus on rural areas. According to the proposal drawn up, campaigns currently at about 100 a year will be increased substantially to ensure that every district in the country is targeted at least once in three years.
Issues that are likely to be top of the mind include rural employment guarantee scheme, education through popularising the Right to Education law, infrastructure, civil nuclear energy deal and women's empowerment.
The campaigns itself are likely to be outsourced while PIB's role will be reserved for monitoring, evaluation and organisation. Sources said the budget has been increased substantially from Rs 9.50 crore to over Rs 14 crore for 2010-2011.
Source: Times Of India By Himanshi Dhawan Rs 14cr ad blitz for UPA pet projects
