Deal Takes Backseat
The latest publicity campaign of the government, aimed at Election 2009, does not focus on the Indo-US nuclear deal. Instead, it aims to reach out to the common man.
- The committee of secretaries has drawn up a note that will be the basis of the campaign
- The focus will be on price rise
- The planned campaign will highlight the steps taken by the government to check prices of essential commodities
- The rise in global prices of foodgrains will be compared with that in domestic markets to show that inflation has been kept at a minimum.
- The N-deal will be only be cited as one of the achievements of the UPA
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Also to be factored in are all the measures the government will propose in the coming months to hold the price line. According to campaign managers, the focus will be the common man and issues that concern him. This marks a clear departure from the instructions given to the publicity division when the government wanted an awareness campaign on the nuclear deal. Then, All India Radio (AIR) was directed to organise discussions to enlighten its audience on the intricacies of the deal.
Additional budgetary funds have been allocated to the publicity division, with PIB as the authority to monitor spending. Nearly Rs 48 crore has been set aside to be released in phases as the campaign takes off in the next few weeks. Doordarshan and air have also been instructed to have programmes on the government's efforts to bring succour to the aam admi.
But what about the nuclear deal, on which the government put its very existence on the line? "It's one of the many achievements of the UPA. But the government's handling of the price situation will now be the focus. Along with other flagship programmes like the nregs," officials say. After the terror attacks on Bangalore and Ahmedabad, and the discovery of many unexploded bombs in Surat, internal security will also figure in the campaign.
The question, however, remains if government-sponsored ads and programmes on state TV and radio can translate into votes. Officials admit that such campaigns have their limitations. Even so, the government has decided to launch the information blitz to set the record straight and clear all doubts about its commitment to the aam admi
