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The joint director of the Department of Information and Public Relations of Rajasthan has digitally signed an order approving over Rs 15 lakh for installing large flex banners as part of the outdoor publicity of Narendra Modi’s third term as prime minister. A list of firms allotted the task of putting up these hoardings, that will come up at 578 sites across the state, where such hoardings can be erected for no fees, was issued on June 10, 2024.
The order lists the firms allotted the contract for this work – Alfed Graphics will install these in Ajmer, Nagaur and Tonk districts; NS Publicity Private Ltd will set these up in Jaipur and Bhilwara; Venture Advertising will put up the hoardings in Hanumangarh, Sriganganagar and Bikaner; Pioneer Publicity Corporation will handle the hoardings for Churu and Jhunjunu. In Bharatpur, Dhaulpur, Sawai Madhopur and Dausa, Premier Printing Press has been assigned the task; for Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jalore and Pali, Jodhana Marketing Company will handle the task. In Udaipur, Sirohi, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Dungarpur and Banswara, High-Tech Digital Plates Pvt Ltd will handle the task; Ambujam will do it for Kota, Chittorgarh, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar; Rainbow Offset Printers will handle the task in Alwar and Sikar. The firms will be paid Rs 12.45 per square foot of the hoarding, and sizes of hoardings are either 400 sq ft or 200 sq feet.
As ordinary people struggle, it is remarkable that the state government should act with such alacrity to put up large hoardings
It is noteworthy that the state has nearly 90 lakh pensioners who receive pensions from the state government – besides the poor elderly, the handicapped, single women and aged farmers are eligible for pensions under the social security provisions of the state government. In 2019, the pension of old age pensioners above 75 years of age was fixed at Rs 1000 per month, while those less than 75 years and receiving pension would get Rs 750 per month.
Rajasthan also has a high burden of diseases like silicosis – over 25,000 people are registered as silicosis patients on the state government’s silicosis grant disbursement website; there are nearly 300 patient payments pending, according to the data uploaded on the site.
As ordinary people struggle, it is remarkable that the state government should act with such alacrity to put up large hoardings of an electoral victory marred by suspicion of foul play, where the prime minister and his party failed to win the majority of the seats despite the abject surrender of institutions meant to uphold democracy and a level playing field for contesting parties.
As ordinary people struggle, it is remarkable that the state government should act with such alacrity to put up large hoardings of an electoral victory marred by suspicion of foul play, where the prime minister and his party failed to win the majority of the seats despite the abject surrender of institutions meant to uphold democracy and a level playing field for contesting parties.
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*Freelance journalist
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