The Congress-led Karnataka government has earmarked ₹7.2 crore for managing the social media presence of five Bengaluru agencies: BBMP, BDA, BMRCL, BWSSB, and BMRDA. The Finance Department approved this expenditure last month, allocating ₹60 lakh monthly to Karnataka State Marketing Communication & Advertising Limited (KSMCA). A private agency engaged by KSMCA will implement the project.
The private agency’s role includes updating information about projects overseen by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and promoting the government’s five guarantee schemes. This decision has drawn attention as some of these agencies already maintain in-house social media teams.
Significantly, the government bypassed the usual tendering process by invoking Section 4(G) of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 1999, allowing direct engagement of the service provider by the Department of Information and Public Relations. This move has sparked concerns about fiscal prudence, especially given the additional costs despite existing teams.
Critics question whether this significant allocation aligns with effective resource utilization, particularly as Bengaluru grapples with pressing infrastructure and civic challenges.
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