PSUs told to pay for government's third anniversary events

NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked PSUs and government entities to pick up the tab for functions to mark three years of the government across 543 districts where events called “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas Sammelan“ are being held from May 27 to June 18. According to an official communication to 45 such entities, the objectives of these programmes have been set out as informing the public about the good governance outcomes of the government.

An official website meant for the programmes gives details of places where these events will be held. It also mentions that oil and gas PSUs, including Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, will host 223 events across the country .The next set of PSUs, in terms of the number of events, are from the power sector.

Government entities such as NHAI and port trusts, as well as PSUs such as Hudco, National Building Construction Corporation and BSNL, will also hold the sammelans.

A standard operating procedure details pre-event activities, a two-hour programme itinerary and a post-event press conference. The post-event activities include sharing photographs and news clippings on the portal http:www.sssvs.in.

The PSUs and government entities have been asked to appoint nodal officers who will be responsible for giving adequate pre-event publicity through the local media and social media as well.

They have been asked to either book a tent or a hall that can accommodate around 2,500 people. The government has also put out a format for the event, which includes playing a 10-minute video clip on three years of the government and another 20 minutes of three local cultural programmes.