The Himanta Biswa Sarma government in Assam has spent a higher amount on advertisements over two years than the previous BJP government did in its five-year tenure, according to data shared by information and public relations minister Pijush Hazarika in the state assembly.

Responding to a query by independent MLA Akhil Gogoi, the minister told the assembly that the current BJP government has spent Rs 130.59 crore over the last two years while the previous one spent Rs 125.60 crore over five years, Scroll reported.

The Sarbananda Sonowal government released Rs 132.30 crore to the state directorate of information and public relations, and Rs 125.60 crore of this amount was spent on government advertisements in newspapers, magazines, television channels and radio stations.

The Himanta Sarma government spent Rs 130.58 crore of the total Rs 132 crore allocated to the department on advertisements. 

The BJP government at the centre last year told the Rajya Sabha that it spent Rs 911.17 crore on advertisements across print, television and internet media platforms from 2019 till June 2022.