(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office is spending nearly Rs 54 lakh each month to manage his official and personal social media accounts, according to a response obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

RTI activist Marlinga Gowda Mali Patil sought the information after hearing that the expenditure was“hefty,” especially at a time when development projects were reportedly stalled due to financial constraints. Patil highlighted concerns that the Congress government was struggling to pay contractors for various departmental work, according to a report on
TOI.
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In response to Patil's RTI request, Karnataka State Marketing Communication and Advertising Ltd (MCA), a government-owned entity, confirmed the social media expenditure. The MCA report revealed that from October 25 of last year to March 2024, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) spent nearly Rs 3 crore on social media activities. This amounts to approximately Rs 53.9 lakh per month, including 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The payments were made to The Policy Front, a firm responsible for handling Siddaramaiah's social media presence with a dedicated team of around 35 employees. CMO officials noted that this monthly expenditure is significantly lower compared to the over Rs 2 crore per month spent by previous Chief Ministers on similar activities.

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