Government spent Rs 4.76 crore on print ads for GST Bachat Utsav in 55 days: RTI reply

The Union government spent more than Rs 4.76 crore on print media advertisements to promote the GST Bachat Utsav over a period of just 55 days, information obtained under the Right to Information Act has revealed.

According to the RTI reply issued by the Central Bureau of Communication under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, an amount of Rs 47,612,276 was spent on advertisements related to GST reforms under the GST Bachat Utsav campaign between September 4, 2025, and October 28, 2025.

The information was provided in response to an RTI application filed by Ajay Basudev Bose, a resident of Amravati in Maharashtra.

The reply clarified that the disclosed expenditure covers only advertisements released in print media by the Central Bureau of Communication on behalf of the Union government.

The RTI applicant had sought details of total spending across print, electronic media, social media platforms, hoardings, and billboards.

However, figures for electronic, digital, and outdoor advertising were not included in the response, indicating that the overall expenditure on the campaign could be substantially higher.

The GST Bachat Utsav is a nationwide outreach initiative launched by the Narendra Modi government to publicise what it describes as the next phase of GST reforms. The government has said these reforms have reduced or eliminated taxes on several essential goods and services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the public through a letter shared on X following the launch of the campaign.