NEW DELHI: A sum of Rs 5.0983 billion was spent on government advertisements through the audio video and electronic media.

Giving figures of 2016-17 until 17 March 2017, Parliament was told today by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore that in comparison, a sum of Rs 4.2377 billion was spent on the print media.

A total of Rs 1.3291 billion was spent on Advertisement Boards / Outdoor Publicity.

Advertisements are given out through agencies accredited with the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity.

Advertisements were given out to the electronic media on behalf of 65 departments or programmes of the government, with the largest being spent on Department of Drinking Water Supply – just over Rs 1.336 billion.

In comparison, 415 different government ads were given to print media, and 35 ads went to outdoor publicity.