We haven’t misused public money: ATDC Chairman Jayanta Malla Baruah

FILMFARE CEREMONY

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: “We have not misused public money. It was spent in the right direction. The Times Group had spent around Rs. 35 crores in hotel accommodations, transportation including the expenses made on labors and volunteers in Assam. Hence, spending Rs. 23 crore is totally justified and we have not spent anything beyond Rs. 23 crore”, claimed ATDC chairman Jayanta Malla Baruah in a press conference organized after the success of the 65th Filmfare Award.

ATDC Chairman Jayanta Malla Baruah said that by following the deal signed between the state government and Times Group, the latter has already provided 50% of the money collected through tickets to the Chief Minister Relief Fund. He claimed, “A total of around Rs. 4 crore was collected through ticket selling and Assam has received around 1.6 crore after GST deduction. However, the amount deducted for GST will also go to the government which means Assam Government received around Rs. 2 crore.

He added that by spending Rs. 23 crore, Assam received a platform that enabled it to reach around 200 crore targets. He said, “The government had spent the money of branding and promotion. If we look into it from an advertisement perspective, then we will get to see that we need around Rs. 2 lakh to telecast a promotional video in national television. Hence, by spending Rs. 23 crore we could telecast 8 advertisements by well established Bollywood celebrities, which belong equally to Times group and the state government that we can use later. Besides these we could showcase the culture of Assam where a total of 160 artistes of Assam performed and showcased the rich cultural heritage of Assam.

Baruah further thanked the Times Group for its special concern to showcase the Assamese Culture. He said that the coveted black lady has always been brought to the stage by ushers dressed in black attire, where this time the Times group had taken the initiative to bring the black lady on to the stage in the traditional mekhela chador. He also said that the Times group had claimed that for the first time in the history of 64 years of Filmfare, over 80 established celebrities had attend the event.

He also thanked the media and the people of Assam for the successful end of the event and said that the 65th Filmfare is a grand success as the platform had provided the opportunity to showcase Assamese culture and the names of legendary figures of Assam including Bhupen Hazarika, Pramathesh Baruah and Jyotiprasad Agarwala in front of around 200 crore people.

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