SilverLine: Left govt to spend big on PR, advertisement campaign
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The proposed handbook on SilverLine fundamentals, to be be published by the Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD), will bleed the state exchequer at least Rs 3.5 crore, according to sources. The IPRD has invited tenders for printing and supplying 50 lakh copies of a 36-page booklet. Titled SilverLine Ariyendathellam, the booklet will be a layman’s guide to the Rs 64,000-crore project.
The publication of the booklet is part of an advertisement and public relation blitzkrieg planned by the Pinarayi Vijayan government to drive home the relevance of a semi high-speed rail line connecting the state’s north and south ends.
The government has directed the IPRD and the Kerala Rail Development Corporation (K-Rail), the special project vehicle, to conduct joint awareness programmes on a large scale.
Info & public relations dept to target college students to sell rail project
The plan is to carry forward the positive vibes for the project created by the two janasamksham events led by Pinarayi in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram where he and the K-Rail authorities interacted with invited public leaders. Similar programmes are being organised in other districts too, though the CM will not be attending in person.
“It (handbook) is a multi-colour booklet printed on a high quality material and hence the cost will be on the higher end. As there is such a huge number, printers will quote lower prices than market rate,” said a source. The printing units have been asked to state the cost of transporting the booklets to all districts and cost may go up when transportation cost is also added.
The last date for tender submission is January 28 and the evaluation is scheduled the next day. The IPRD will also conduct various awareness programmes at the grass-roots level. The field publicity wing of the department will devise programmes in consultation with the officers of the K-Rail. In the first phase, awareness programmes, including public meetings, will be conducted at the district level.
College students will be targeted in the second phase as there is an impression that youth whose aspiration levels are higher will be more receptive to the idea. The district information officers have been asked to devise separate creative awareness programmes targeting the general public and college students. All district information officers and the IPRD office in New Delhi have been sanctioned `1 lakh each for the ‘first phase expenses’ of the outreach programmes.