In 2024 the Gujarat government allocated more than Rs 8 crore for advertisements that marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decades in public office. The spending formed part of a broader pattern of celebrations that span several BJP‑run states and the central party, extending the prime minister’s birthday into a month‑long series of inaugurations, foundation‑stone ceremonies and publicity drives.
Birthday‑season programmes across the country
On the day of Modi’s birthday, the Delhi state administration and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced the launch of the “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan – Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva Hai” programme. The initiative runs from 17 September to 18 October, aligning with the 25th anniversary of Modi’s first appointment as chief minister of Gujarat in 1995. In the neighbouring state of Haryana, each Deputy Commissioner received a allocation of Rs 10 lakh to support the same Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
These regional programmes echo a long‑standing practice of turning political milestones into public‑service celebrations. Past examples include “GST Diwas” for the first anniversary of the goods‑and‑services tax, the “9 Saal, Seva, Sushasan, Garib Kalyan” campaign, and a heavily promoted 100th episode of Prime Minister Modi’s radio address, “Mann Ki Baat”. Government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, the Ujjwala Yojana and Jan Dhan accounts have also received annual ad blitzes that highlight years of implementation and beneficiary numbers.
Gujarat’s Vikas Saptah and advertising outlays
Gujarat observes a nine‑day “Vikas Saptah” each year from 7 October to 15 October, timed to commemorate Modi’s oath‑taking as chief minister in 2001. The state describes the week as an occasion to showcase its development trajectory, featuring programme launches, inaugurations, foundation‑laying ceremonies and extensive publicity of government schemes.
For the most recent Vikas Saptah, which marked 24 years since Modi first assumed the chief‑ministerial post, the state spent Rs 14.05 crore, according to an assembly reply to Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani. The previous year, marking 23 years of what the government called “successful and capable leadership”, Gujarat spent Rs 8.81 crore on advertisements across print, electronic, digital and social media. The figures were supplied to the BBC under the Right‑to‑Information Act.
The Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office website confirms that Vikas Saptah is an annual event, and that the government’s description emphasizes the celebration of the state’s governance record.
Overall publicity spending and election‑year spikes
Data from the Gujarat Information and Broadcasting Department show that total publicity expenditure reached Rs 108.80 crore for the financial year ending 31 December 2025. This amount translates to an average daily outlay of roughly Rs 29.8 lakh. The Rs 14.05 crore spent on Vikas Saptah formed part of this larger budget, though the assembly reply did not break down the Rs 108.80 crore by medium.
When queried about the number of agencies engaged for government publicity, the department responded that the figure was “zero”. Likewise, the department indicated that no other state department had written for payment of bills related to the Vikas Saptah spend, and that no department had deposited any portion of the amount.
Election‑year spending in Gujarat shows a sharp increase. In 2022‑23, the Information and Broadcasting Department expended Rs 305.37 crore, the year the state held Assembly elections in December 2022. The department had been allocated Rs 317.82 crore for the year, leaving Rs 12.45 crore unspent, and the average daily spend rose to about Rs 83.66 lakh. By contrast, in 2021‑22 the department received an allocation of Rs 166.33 crore and spent Rs 163.43 crore, averaging Rs 44.77 lakh per day. The jump to Rs 305.37 crore represents an increase of nearly 87 percent over the previous year.
Nationally, the pattern of using public funds for political milestones extends beyond Gujarat. The Newslaundry project on government advertising reports that the central Modi administration spent Rs 5,987 crore on advertisements between 2014‑15 and 2024‑25. In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government spent Rs 6,811.94 crore between 2017‑18 and 2024‑25, while Uttarakhand’s total advertising outlay over five financial years reached Rs 1,001 crore.
Recent high‑visibility campaigns include the “GST Bachat Utsav”, which ran from 4 September to 28 October 2025 and consumed Rs 22 crore on advertisements alone, according to Rajya Sabha data. The campaign, intended to promote savings from the revised GST rates, was itself funded with public money.
Other milestone‑driven publicity efforts have highlighted the prime minister’s longevity in office. Billboards and ads have been erected to congratulate Modi on becoming the longest‑serving elected prime minister of India, and a separate campaign marked his 4,399‑day tenure.
The cumulative evidence points to an entrenched practice of converting political anniversaries, birthdays and policy roll‑outs into large‑scale advertising drives funded by state and central budgets. While officials often frame these campaigns as public‑service outreach, the scale of expenditure—particularly in election years—has drawn scrutiny from opposition legislators and civil‑society watchdogs.
As the month‑long birthday celebrations unfold across Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat, the financial figures disclosed in assembly replies and RTI responses provide a transparent, if stark, view of the resources devoted to political commemoration in India’s current administration.
Be First to Comment