Yogi Government Spent ₹6,812 Crore On Advertisements In 8 Years, Outpacing Centre’s Daily Ad Spend
Uttar Pradesh Spent Over ₹6,800 Crore On Publicity
The Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spent ₹6,811.94 crore on advertising and publicity between FY2017-18 and FY2024-25, according to data cited in a report based on official records.
The expenditure translates to an average of ₹2.32 crore per day over eight years, higher than the Centre’s average daily advertising expenditure during the Narendra Modi government’s tenure.
Ad Spending Rose Significantly Over The Years
The report states that advertising expenditure increased steadily after Yogi Adityanath assumed office in 2017.
Spending rose from ₹294.86 crore in FY2017-18 to ₹330 crore in FY2018-19 and ₹481.67 crore in FY2019-20. Although expenditure declined to ₹392.88 crore in FY2020-21 during the Covid-19 pandemic, it reportedly increased sharply in the following years as publicity campaigns expanded.
Majority Of Funds Went Towards Advertising And Visual Publicity
According to the report, more than 83% of the total expenditure was allocated under the ‘Advertising and Visual Publicity’ budget head. This category includes spending on advertisements published in newspapers, aired on television channels, and increasingly placed on digital media platforms.
The report also notes that the Uttar Pradesh government has not disclosed the names of media organisations that received these advertising funds in response to RTI queries. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Higher Daily Spend Than The Centre
The report compares Uttar Pradesh’s advertising expenditure with that of the Central Government, stating that while the Modi government spent around ₹6,000 crore on advertisements over 11 years, its average daily expenditure worked out to around ₹1.5 crore, lower than Uttar Pradesh’s ₹2.32 crore per day.
The comparison highlights the scale of advertising undertaken by the state government during the period. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Public Advertising Continues To Draw Scrutiny
Government advertising remains an important tool for communicating welfare schemes, policy initiatives, and public awareness campaigns. However, the scale of such expenditure often attracts public scrutiny, particularly regarding transparency, allocation of funds, and the disclosure of media organisations receiving government advertisements.
Summary
The Uttar Pradesh government spent ₹6,811.94 crore on advertising and publicity between FY2017-18 and FY2024-25, averaging ₹2.32 crore per day. More than 83% of the expenditure went towards advertising and visual publicity. According to the report, this daily spending exceeded the Central Government’s average advertising expenditure during the Narendra Modi government’s tenure.
