The central government spent over Rs 910 crore on print advertisements between 2020-21 and 2024-25, with the Times of India emerging as the largest beneficiary, according to reports by Newslaundry and Medianews4u.
Citing data shared by the Ministry of information and broadcasting in the Lok Sabha, the reports noted that the government’s print ad expenditure over the five years stood at Rs 910.4 crore. The information was provided in a written reply to a question raised by Congress MP Radhakrishna.
According to the reports, the Times of India was the top recipient among newspapers, receiving Rs 78.22 crore in government print advertising over the five years. Dainik Jagran followed with Rs 59.14 crore, while Hindustan Times received Rs 47.80 crore.
Other significant recipients, per the data cited, included Amar Ujala (Rs 24.92 crore), Hindustan (Rs 21.56 crore), and Dainik Bhaskar (Rs 20.53 crore). The Indian Express received a comparatively smaller sum of Rs 6.51 crore.
Year-wise breakdown
The reports also carried a year-on-year breakdown showing the Times of India consistently topped the list every financial year: Rs 17.87 crore (2020-21), Rs 16.95 crore (2021-22), Rs 21.01 crore (2022-23), Rs 16.32 crore (2023-24), and Rs 6.04 crore (2024-25).
Dainik Jagran‘s yearly figures were listed as Rs 13.04 crore, Rs 12.40 crore, Rs 16.08 crore, Rs 12.81 crore and Rs 4.80 crore across the same five years, while Hindustan Times received Rs 12.66 crore, Rs 11.25 crore, Rs 13.88 crore, Rs 9.10 crore and Rs 4.21 crore respectively.
Amar Ujala‘s yearly print ad allocations were put at Rs 4.73 crore, Rs 5.19 crore, Rs 7.37 crore, Rs 7.18 crore and Rs 2.42 crore over the corresponding period, as per the ministry’s reply cited in the reports.
The reports referenced an earlier parliamentary response in which the government disclosed a total ad spend of Rs 5,987.46 crore across all media platforms — including TV and digital — over 11 financial years, from 2014-15 to 2024-25. This translates to an average daily spend of nearly Rs 1.5 crore.
That earlier data, as per the reports, also pointed to a notable spike in ad spending ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with the government spending Rs 353.98 crore in 2023-24 — the year before the polls — and Rs 323.41 crore in 2024-25.
Government defends spending pattern
The reports noted that government advertisements are typically issued to publicize welfare schemes, policy initiatives, and public awareness campaigns. However, opposition parties have repeatedly alleged that such spending is aimed at promoting the BJP and “Brand Modi” in the lead-up to elections.
Responding to these allegations, a senior official was quoted in the Newslaundry report as saying that advertisement releases are governed by established rules, with rates determined based on a newspaper’s circulation and number of editions, and that there is no discriminatory or preferential treatment involved.
“Unlike advertising by certain other political parties that are in power in the states, central government advertisements are program and policy-centric, and they do not promote the party or a person or a group of persons,” the official said, as quoted in the reports, adding that the annual year-wise expenditure is not as striking as the cumulative figure.
