NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s (MIB) proposal to seek a revised cost estimate for additional requirement of funds to the tune of Rs 350 crore for the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) has found favour with a Parliamentary Standing Committee.

The Committee agreed with the Ministry’s apprehension that if adequate funds are not made available under the scheme, the multimedia campaign of flagship programmes of the Government such as Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, Jan Dhan Yojana, etc. will get adversely affected.

The Committee said sustained campaign for people's participation in the flagship programmes of the Government should not suffer due to want of funds.

It therefore wanted the Ministry to pursue with the Finance Ministry for adequate allocation under the scheme.

The MIB informed the Committee that the proposal had already been mooted and is in process.

The Committee noted with satisfaction that out of an allocation of Rs 160.20 crore, the Ministry had been able to spend Rs 147.01 crore (91.76 per cent) during 2014-15. “There has been a cent percent achievement of physical targets under Scheme of DAVP during 2014-15,” the Committee said.

The Committee was given to understand that due to total exhaustion of funds allocated for the entire 12th Plan period, the left over amount of Rs 23 crore from the original approved fund of Rs 470 crore had been allocated for the schemes of DAVP during 2015-16.