The Narendra Modi-led central government spent Rs 119.79 crore on print advertisements in the financial year 2024-25, distributing the funds across 1,052 newspapers. However, official data shows that more than half of this amount – Rs 63.23 crore – went to just 10 major media groups.

Among the biggest beneficiaries, the HT Media received Rs 13.56 crore, followed by The Times of India Group with Rs 11.16 crore, Dainik Jagran with Rs 9.63 crore, Dainik Bhaskar with Rs 8.29 crore, and Amar Ujala with Rs 4.93 crore.

Other recipients include Rajasthan Patrika (Rs 4.79 crore), Deccan Chronicle (Rs 3.33 crore), Navbharat (Rs 3.21 crore), Punjab Kesari (Rs 2.35 crore), and Sakal (Rs 1.98 crore).

Among other prominent publications, the Indian Express Group received Rs 1.76 crore. 

The figures were shared by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan in the Lok Sabha in response to a written question from Trinamool Congress MP Rachna Banerjee.

Banerjee sought details on year-wise and group-wise spending by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) on newspapers and TV channels over the past five years, agency-wise empanelment of influencer agencies, year-wise payments made to influencers for promotional content.

However, Murugan’s reply did not fully address all parts of the query. 

The ministry uploaded only two annexes: one detailing print advertising expenses for FY 2024-25, and another covering television advertising for FY 2020-21.

Government advertising expenditure over the past five years has totalled nearly Rs 2,447 crore, averaging roughly Rs 1.34 crore per day, according to data shared in December 2025 in response to a question by Congress MP Shafi Parambil.

Of this amount, nearly Rs 985 crore was spent on audio-visual ads, Rs 930.24 crore on print, Rs 392.51 crore on outdoor publicity such as hoardings, and Rs 138.71 crore on digital and new media. Year-wise spending shows a rise in recent years: Rs 409.55 crore (2020-21), Rs 317.48 crore (2021-22), Rs 408.37 crore (2022-23), Rs 656.6 crore (2023-24) and Rs 654.9 crore (2024-25).

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