Gujarat to hire top PR firm to ensure publication of pro-Modi articles in top media

By Rajiv Shah

The Narendra Modi government is learnt to have worked out a complete plan to reach out to the national media by hiring a top public relations (PR) management firm with headquarters in Delhi. Sources in the Commissionerate of Information, Government of Gujarat, say, the state government "intends to appoint a PR firm to create awareness about brand ‘Gujarat’ across India and the globe." The sources added, the aim is to "position Gujarat as one of India’s leading states across sectors by increasing visibility and enhancing ‘top of mind’ recall so as to make it an ideal destination amongst various stakeholders."
The PR firm, for which tenders have being floated, will be required to "effectively disseminate information about Gujarat government’s various activities to national and international media", the sources said, adding, in order to help shape favorable media opinion for Gujarat government, both nationally as well as internationally, the firm will be required to prepare "an effective PR strategy plan", even as making "all arrangements necessary for the media coverage of any event when dignitaries from Gujarat", especially the Chief Minister, during his "visits to Delhi or any other part of the country or as and when asked to do".
The firm will be required to "arrange for national and international media to visit Gujarat and attend various events organized by the different departments of the Government of Gujarat; acquaint the media with the positive growth and developments happening in the state at regular intervals, or as and when asked to do so". Further, it will be the firm’s "responsibility to arrange for the visits of journalists to Gujarat, any other part of the country or abroad", and the "expenses for the same will be reimbursed by the Commissionerate of Information on the submission of actual bills", the sources said.
Further, the firm will "prepare press releases, news articles, messages, write – ups, articles, features in Hindi/ English and regional languages for publication in print media and telecast / broadcast media in TV, radio and internet." Its targets, the sources said, would include:
* Publication of at least 6 major stories from the State in a quarter based on the input provided by the State Government in national newspapers viz. the Hindustan Times, the Times of India, Indian Express, Hindu, Economic Times etc.
* Publication of six major stories in regional newspapers in a quarter again based on the input provided by the State Government
* Publication of 6 major stories in a quarter in the major vernacular mewspapers with widespread coverage viz. Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, Oriya, Urdu, etc.
* Publication of at least one major story in national magazines viz. India Today, Frontline, Outlook, The Week, etc. based on the input provided by the state government
* Coverage/ telecast of at least one major story every month in a major TV News Channel viz. NDTV, Times Now, CNN-IBN, AajTak, Zee News, Star News, TV Today, etc.
Besides, the sources said, the firm will required to provide "crisis perception management" by informing the government about "impending stories about Gujarat State / leadership". It will "monitor the presence of, and discussions about, brand Gujarat in social and political circles", which can be achieved through, "among other activities, continuously monitoring and tracking all national and regional newspapers, magazines, TV channels, the inter-web, blogs and other channels of external communication at regular intervals."
Further, the firm will be required to have "a close liaison with correspondents, reporters, editors, photographers, think–tanks, critics, trend - setters and other such opinion leaders", even as "pomoting and and maintaining an effective feedback system of the public about these activities." And, for all this, it will be required to have a "fully equipped with trained and skilled PR professionals" with"latest instruments such as computers, scanners, high speed photo copy machines etc. at its offices in metro cities, especially in Delhi." There will be a liaison officer in Delhi who "must also be experienced in carrying out projects on a national/ international level", with "impeccable communication skills in English and Hindi are an imperative."
Apart from hiring professional journalists to write, the firm will be required to have an able economic analyst with the job to write "original material, edit, proofread and finalize written material", even as "gather numerical data and produce statistical reports" and "analyze economic data to prepare reports detailing results of performed research." The analyst will prepare "stories on different subjects like business, industry, education, agriculture and socio-economic conditions in state of Gujarat and prepare comparative study reports and press material."

Comments

The golden crop: How turmeric is transforming women's lives in tribal India

By Vikas Meshram* When the lush green fields of turmeric sway in the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, it is not merely a spice crop — it is the golden glow of self-reliance. In villages where even basic spices once had to be bought from the market, the very soil today is yielding a prosperity that has transformed the lives of thousands of families. At the heart of this transformation is the initiative of Vaagdhara, which has linked turmeric with livelihoods, nutrition, and village self-governance — gram swaraj.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Beyond the election manifesto: Why climate is now a kitchen table issue

By Vikas Meshram* March has long been a month of gentle transition, the period when winter softly retreats and a mild warmth signals nature’s renewal. Yet, in recent years, this dependable rhythm has been disrupted. This year, since the beginning of March, temperatures across vast swathes of the country have shattered previous records, soaring to between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius in some regions. This is not a mere fluctuation in the weather; it is a serious and alarming indicator of climate change .

As India logs historic emissions drop, expert warns govt against 'policy blunders'

By A Representative In a significant development that underscores the rapid transformation of India's energy landscape, new data reveals the country recorded its largest drop in power sector emissions in 2025. However, a top power sector analyst has urged the Union Government to view this "silver lining" as a stark warning against continuing to invest in new coal, large hydro, and nuclear projects, which he argues could become "redundant" stranded assets.

The selective memory of a violent city: Uttam Nagar and the invisible victims of Delhi

By Sunil Kumar* Hundreds of murders take place in Delhi every year, yet only a few incidents become topics of nationwide discussion. The question is: why does this happen? Today, the incident in Uttam Nagar has become the centre of national debate. A 26-year-old man, Tarun Kumar, was killed following a dispute that reportedly began after a balloon hit a small child. In several colonies of Delhi, slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “Vande Mataram” are being raised while demanding the death penalty for Tarun’s killers. As a result, nearly 50,000 residents of Hastsal JJ Colony are now living in what resembles a state of confinement.

NGO Arunoday’s journey of support and struggle: Standing firm with the distressed

By Bharat Dogra It was a situation of acute distress. Nearly ten thousand people returning to their villages during the COVID-19 pandemic had gathered at the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh near Kanha. Exhausted after walking long distances with little or no food, they were desperate for relief. Yet entry could not be granted without completing essential records and complying with pandemic rules.

How wars are undermining climate promises even as accelerating global warming

By N.S. Venkataraman* Since 1995, global climate conferences have convened annually, with the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) held in November 2024. These gatherings attract world leaders and generate extensive media coverage, raising hopes of decisive strategies to address the climate emergency. Yet, despite lofty promises and ambitious targets, the crisis remains unabated.

Fresh citizenship framework suggested amidst electoral roll concerns

By Kathyayini Chamaraj The ongoing exercise of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has raised serious concerns about the potential disenfranchisement of large numbers of citizens. In many instances, people are being asked to produce retrospective documents to establish their citizenship—documents that many genuine citizens are unable to provide. The challenge before policymakers is to identify prospective amendments to the Citizenship Act that would ensure that no legitimate citizen is excluded either from citizenship or from the electoral roll.

Search This Blog