Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government’s claim of spending ₹14 crore on advertisements in the last three years about half of the previous regime,has come under sharp criticism, with allegations that the funds were selectively routed to “favoured” individuals and organisations.
Opposition leaders alleged that while the government projects financial discipline, the distribution of advertisement budgets raises serious questions. They claimed that instead of ensuring fair and transparent allocation, the funds have allegedly been directed towards “close aides and preferred platforms.”
The BJP accused the Sukhu-led government of “selective patronage,” saying that cutting the overall budget does not justify alleged bias in its distribution. “Reducing the total spend means little if the money is being channelled to a chosen few,” opposition leaders said.
They further demanded a detailed public disclosure of advertisement allocations over the past three years, including beneficiary lists and criteria followed. The opposition also called for an independent audit to ensure transparency and accountability.
Meanwhile, the state government has maintained that it is committed to financial prudence and has significantly reduced unnecessary expenditure compared to the previous administration.
