Is Bihar developing?

Salman Ka Blog

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Is Bihar developing?

Salman Ahmed,
Salmanahmed70@yahoo.co.in

Recently some reports have been published on the Bihar media and its pro government policy for advertisements. Report claims that media is publishing and broadcasting every report in the presser of Nitish Kumar government. The report blames that in Bihar media is doing its work in the favor of government not public.

Bihar media persons are not able to shallow this report, so they started the war of blame.

The war of blame started by the media persons made me compelled to present the reality of the issue before you, please read this article and decide, who is right, and who is wrong?

According to the RTI reply, soon after coming into power, Nitish Kumar government increased the quantum of advertisement to media by four times to what it was in the previous governments.

In just the last four years of Nitish regime, from 2005-09 till February 28, 2010, the state government gave advertisement for around 38,000 odd works and spent Rs 64.48 crore on them whereas in the period of six years the Lalu-Rabri government had spent around just Rs 23.9 crore.

As per the RTI document, in 2008-09 alone the state government spent around Rs 25.25 crore on advertisement of both print and electronic media.
The manifold increase in the annual spending by the state government on advertisement is worth noting.

In 2005-06 (Nitish Kumar came in power in November 2005) the state spending on advertisements was around Rs 4.49 crore. With an increase of around Rs 90 lakh, that expenditure in 2006-07 was Rs 5.4 crore. In 2007-08, there was an increase of Rs 4.25 crore, which brought the expenses to Rs 9.65 crore. And finally, in 2008-09 this yearly increase went up to Rs 15.59 crore, bringing the annual spending on advertisements to Rs 25.25 crore.

In 2009-10 till February 28, 2010, around Rs 19.66 crore has been spent on advertisements.

On November 24, 2009, on the eve of completion of four years of Nitish government, in a single day advertisements worth Rs 1.15 crore were given in 24 different national as well as regional dailies.

These advertisements highlight the so called developmental works of the state government in the areas of health, minority development, education and socio-economic development, with the titles like “Badalta Bihar” (changing Bihar) “Nitish Kumar Ke Chaar Saal” (four years of Nitish Kumar).

Delhi and Patna based Hindi dailies such as Hindustan, Dainik Jagran, Prabhat Khabar and Aj had the lion’s share of around Rs 72.5 lakh.

On the eve of completion of four years of Nitish government the Hindi daily Hindustan had received advertisement worth Rs 37 lakh from Bihar government, the maximum among all the media organizations.

In the light of above mentioned data every one can understand the partnership of media and Nitish Kumar government in Bihar economy. Now I leave every thing for the general public, public is the best judge.