CAG raps ICCR for paying PR firm without consulting PIB

The CAG has rapped the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for making payments totalling Rs 49.91 lakh to a PR firm without "adequate justification and in contravention of government policies."

The CAG has rapped the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for making payments totalling Rs 49.91 lakh to a PR firm without "adequate justification and in contravention of government policies."

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"In contravention of government policies, the ICCR entered into a MoU with a public relations firm in August 2003. As per the MoU, the work of publicising was categorised under two packages with different levels of exposure in the media," the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said in its report.

The ICCR is under the Ministry of External Affairs.

It said under this package, the consultant was to ensure Rs one lakh worth of print advertising in one main line press involving readership of 10 lakh and above or RS one lakh worth of TV advertising and possibly both.

The report said this package was for routine events organised by the Council and the payment for this package was fixed at Rs one lakh.

"Unjustified payments of Rs 49.91 lakh were made by ICCR to the consultant, in contravention, of the advertisement policy of the government and without consulting the Press Information Bureau," it said.

The CAG also said the consultant had to ensure editorial write-ups in the mainline press and one mainline TV channel and clips on three to five channels, which had to add upto more than Rs 5 lakh worth of space and airtime.