MCB awaits payment against SAD-BJP ad drive

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 29

The previous SAD-BJP government in the state had launched an advertisement blitz ahead of the Assembly elections for which they had taken outdoor media spots on rent for six months from the municipal corporations and councils, but the payment of rent for four months is still pending.

The Public Relations Department of the state government had taken these sites on rent after entering into an agreement with the municipal corporations for six months.

In July 2016, the state government started its campaign through outdoor media.

As per agreement, the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) was to be given Rs 24.68 lakh per month as rent by the Public Relations Department.

Now, the Assembly elections are over and the new Congress government has taken charge but the payment of rent for four months, which is around Rs 1 crore, to the MCB is still outstanding against the Public Relations Department.

The MCB has repeatedly written letters to the department regarding this.

As per the demand of the District Public Relations Office (DPRO), the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) had handed over the unipoles and other outdoor media spots on July 1 to the department, to install government hoardings across the city.

According to the norms, the state government should have released the money in advance for using these outdoor media spots.

Even advertisement contractors are running from pillar to post over their payment.

As the issue is connected with the state government, they are tight-lipped over it.

As per information, the Information and Broadcasting Department had hired 37 unipoles, 23 direction boards, 28 bus shelters, 598 street light poles, 25 decorative lights and other spaces.

The department has paid the rent for July and August whereas the rent for September, October, November and December is still pending.

A senior official of the MCB said. “We have sent the bill to the department. We will talk to officials of the Public Relations Department to clear the pending payment.”

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said bills would be cleared in the coming days and if required, he would also take up the matter with the state government to clear the bills at the earliest.