Government of Telangana has issued an inquiry order against two publicity agencies for featuring a woman and her daughter in newspaper advertisements of two state government’s schemes despite them not being a beneficiary of either. And more to that, woman and her daughter are standing next to her husband and showing them to be a happy beneficiary family, the other shows the woman beside another man. The advertisements were for Kanti Velugu (free eye check-up) and Rythu Bheema (crop insurance) schemes.
According to preliminary internal investigation In December 2013 , the woman and husband posed for a photographer representing Mash Audio Visuals Pvt Ltd, and signed a document reading that their photographs can be used for advertising. Nayakula Nagaraju and wife Padma said the photo of her and their daughter beside another man had left them embarrassed. “Another man is shown as husband standing beside my wife and daughter in the advertisement depicting them as a happy family. I have become a laughing stock in my village,’’ Nagaraju said to Indian Express .
Information and Public Relations commissioner Arvind Kumar said an inquiry is on to ascertain if the photos were wrongly used by the agencies M/S Livewires and Tempest.
Sources in the department said to Indian Express preliminary investigation revealed that the agencies procured the photos from imagesbazaar.com. “The department has issued notices to the agencies asking them if they have authorisation to use the photos as they pleased. We will take appropriate action if they have erred,’’ an official said.