Govt Spent Rs 4.76 Crore on Print Ads for ‘GST Bachat Utsav,' RTI Reveals
New Delhi: The Union government spent more than Rs 4.76 crore in just 55 days on the promotion of the ‘GST Bachat Utsav' – a GST savings festival.
Information obtained under the Right to Information Act shows that this amount was spent exclusively on print media advertisements.
According to the RTI reply given by the Central Bureau of Communication under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the government spent Rs 47,612,276 on advertisements promoting ‘GST reforms’ under the 'Bachat Utsav', between September 4, 2025, and October 28, 2025.
This information was provided in response to an RTI application filed by Ajay Basudev Bose, a resident of Amravati, Maharashtra.
Print media figures only
The RTI reply clearly states that this expenditure pertains only to advertisements released in print media by the Central Bureau of Communication on behalf of the Union government.
However, the RTI application had sought details of total expenditure incurred on the promotion of GST reforms across print, electronic, social media, hoardings, and billboards. Only print media figures were disclosed in the response.
This suggests that if expenditure on electronic media, social media, and outdoor advertising were included, the total amount could be significantly higher.
What is the Bachat Utsav?
The ‘GST Bachat Utsav’ is a nationwide promotional campaign launched by the Narendra Modi government to communicate the next generation of GST reforms to the public.
The government claims that these reforms have made many everyday essential items tax-free or brought them under a minimal GST rate of up to 5%.
Under these reforms, it is claimed that tax burdens have been reduced on food items, clothing, essential goods such as soap and toothpaste, as well as services like home construction, vehicle purchases, and insurance premiums.
Following the launch of the ‘GST Bachat Utsav’, prime minister Narendra Modi has also addressed the nation through a formal letter, which he shared on the social media platform X.
This report first appeared on The Wire Hindi and has been translated from the original Hindi.
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