It?s image makeover time for Delhi government or at least that is the message. The Cabinet?s recent nod for a financially self-sustained advertising agency for the city government is looking to do what the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan governments have done successfully, taking government advertising to a different league. Under the new scheme of things, a new society, Delhi Samvad (DSA), will look at publicity management for the Delhi government. The main purpose of setting up DSA, CM Shiela Dikshit told the media while announcing the launch of the society, is to create a pool of talent on contract for meeting creative designing. Initially DSA would be releasing classified advertisements that is tenders, vacancies, notifications etc.
?The child has just been born, we need to stitch clothes? says Uday Sahay, director, directorate of information and publicity, government of NCT of Delhi, talking of the many things that need to be done at DSA. Right now Sahay is doubling up as the CEO and member secretary, DSA.
The publicity management of the Delhi government is right now is largely outsourced to private agencies. Though the directorate of information and publicity, government of NCT, has 17 advertising agencies in group A including names such as Grey Worldwide India, Leo Burnett and Rediffusion Y & R, and 61 advertising agencies listed in category A, it felt the need to start an agency of its own.
Explains Sahay, ? A lot of times these agencies come up with preconceived mindsets. Also because it?s the government, they don?t always give us the seriousness we deserve. We are looking at changing that and also looking at diverting the funds that go to private players, into the government?s kitty.?
Though DSA will begin with classified ads, it will also look at creative ads soon. The idea being, promotion of healthy competition. Typically for any occasion, say the health day, they will pitch for an ad, like the other private agencies and whichever is the best will be picked up.
Fifteen per cent of the total advertising budget goes to classified ads. Either they are directly released or through some advertising agency. Money, says Sahay, can be saved if there is mechanism in the government that brings that money to the government kitty. ?This comes to about Rs 2.4 crore every year and with that money, you can run the organisation. So it becomes a revenue generating model.?
DSA would have a 15-member governing council with information minister as its chairperson, chief secretary as its vice-chairperson and other 13 officials and non-official members. Director, information and publicity, would function as its member secretary. The DSA would also have a seven-member executive committee with minister of information as president and director, information and publicity as member secretary.
It would also have two nominated members.
The government has announced that it will release an interest free loan of Rs 50 lakh to DSA to make it functional. The society can then return the loan amount in installments once it starts generating revenue.