M A I N   N E W S

Don’t use my photos for ads, says PM 

New Delhi, June 5
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has, in a departure from practice, ordered ministries and government departments not to use his photographs in media advertisements, saying he does not want public money to be used for image building.

“The Prime Minister’s Office has sent a note to the effect to all ministries and government departments,” the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser Sanjaya Baru said. The note went out on Friday.

“The Prime Minister has desired that his photo need not be inserted in advertisements released by various ministries except in the case of events of national importance or national occasions (Independence Day or Republic Day),” the note said. The Congress party-led ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had castigated the previous government for its “India Shining” media advertisement blitz at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 2 billion ahead of the General Elections. — IANS