Maharashtra CM dismisses reports of Rs.300 crore being spent on building govt's image

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday rubbishes the reports of Rs. 300 crore being spent on building state government's image.

"The news about Rs.300 crores expenditure on social media by the Maharashtra Government is totally false. We have total sanctioned annual budget for the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) is only Rs.50 crores. So, this amount of Rs.300 crore is totally false. And this has not happened for the first time, it's a very old and set pattern of empanelment of agencies for publicising government's good works and initiatives," the Chief Minister said.

"Write whatever you have to write on social media we are bit fearful about that. We are just concerned about the fake IDs which are trying to defame people with false and vicious posts and trying to disturb communal harmony with fake IDs. We will take action against them," he added.

Reports were doing the rounds that private agencies were appointed to make sure that the welfare schemes, development initiatives and policies of various departments are conveyed properly to the people.

Reportedly, these agencies were given task to formulate and implement "a result-oriented comprehensive social media promotion strategy" for government campaigns and will work for the DGIPR.