Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government spent ₹6.9 crore on advertisements for the state’s 25th Foundation Day celebrations on November 1, 2025, which saw the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the event, PM Modi announced development projects worth over ₹14,260 crore in sectors including roads, industry, healthcare, and energy.
However, an RTI response has revealed a stark contrast in budget allocation: funding for the Swami Atmanand Excellence Schools, set up to provide quality education to economically disadvantaged students, has been cut by nearly 64%, creating severe challenges for basic operations such as paying electricity bills and purchasing essential teaching materials.
Advertisement Spending Breakdown
According to the Chhattisgarh Public Relations Directorate, of the total ₹6.9 crore spent on promotions:
- Electronic media (TV and digital platforms): ₹1.39 crore
- National and state-level newspapers: ₹4.97 crore
- Hoardings, banners, and billboards: ₹53.38 lakh
The disclosed figures cover only advertising costs and not the total event expenditure. Details regarding payments to specific media outlets were not provided.
Funding Cuts Affecting Schools
Swami Atmanand Excellence Schools were initiated in 2020 to provide talented students from economically weaker sections with quality education. These schools were previously allocated ₹5 lakh per year for infrastructure, stationery, exams, and events. Under the current government, funding has been reduced to ₹1.83 lakh per school, forcing administrators to prioritize essential expenses.
A principal from Raipur, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the challenges: “A single school’s electricity bill alone ranges between ₹25,000–30,000. These funds must cover exams, chalk, lab chemicals, and annual events. With the reduced budget, we are forced to cut essential activities like Sports Day and annual functions.”
Currently, 751 Swami Atmanand Excellence Schools operate across the state. Despite claims of modern facilities such as libraries, computer labs, and science labs, administrators say limited funding prevents optimal utilization of these resources.
Political Reactions
Chhattisgarh Congress spokesperson RP Singh alleged that the BJP government is neglecting Swami Atmanand Schools to promote private schools. “These schools were created so that children from poor families could access quality education without paying high fees. But under the BJP, their financial situation has deteriorated, and the government appears to favor private institutions,” he said.
BJP spokesperson Anurag Singh Dev defended the advertisement spending, stating that promotion through the Public Relations Department is routine for all governments. Regarding the funding cuts, he said, “Funds are allocated for schools. I do not have specific details about the Swami Atmanand schools, but a good budget provision exists for schools in general.”
Context: Daily Advertisement Spending
This is not the first instance of heavy advertising expenditure. RTI data from March 2025 showed that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh spent an average of ₹78 lakh per day on advertisements between December 1, 2023, and January 31, 2025—a total of ₹332.92 crore over 428 days.
The report highlights a growing debate over budget priorities in Chhattisgarh, with massive spending on publicity contrasting sharply with severe cuts to essential education funding for economically disadvantaged students.
