Don't trust this. The spending numbers hold but the claim this is India's first time any state outspent the centre has no evidence, and the raw potatoes claim has none.

Why we say that›

UP ad spending exceeds Centre's per one source but first-time claim lacks support

The daily and total figures match the single source. The reel presents the comparison as an unprecedented event and proof of wasted money amid hunger. Neither the first-time assertion nor the midday-meal description is backed by any evidence.

Reported 15 Aug 2026

@The_TruthOpen Instagram Reel ↗

Claims

4 true · 4 unchecked

StatusClaimWhat's actually true

Couldn't check
For the first time in India's history, a state government has surpassed the central government in advertisement expenditure.
What's actually true
No source states this is the first time any state surpassed the centre.
Couldn't check
State government advertisement spending is greater than central government advertisement spending.
What's actually true
UP total and daily average exceed the centre's.
Couldn't check
More than 80 crore people in India still stand in line for free food grains.
What's actually true
About 80 crore persons receive free food grains.
Couldn't check
In Uttar Pradesh, children are still given water and raw potatoes in midday meals.
What's actually true
We couldn't verify this claim with a reliable source. No source confirms water and raw potatoes as standard midday meal practice.
True
Central government spent ₹5,987 crore from 2014-15 to 2024-25 on advertisements (average ≈ ₹1.5 crore/day); Uttar Pradesh spent ₹6,811.94 crore from 2017-18 to 2024-25 (average ≈ ₹2.32 crore/day).
What's actually true
One source gives exactly these totals and daily averages for the same periods.
Source · Newslaundry
True
The UP government spent approximately 6800 crore rupees on advertisements from 2017-18 to 2024-25.
What's actually true
Rs 6,811.94 crore for UP over those exact years.
Source · Newslaundry
True
The central government spent approximately 5987 crore rupees on advertisements from 2014-15 to 2024-25.
What's actually true
Roughly Rs 6,000 crore (rounded to 5,987) for the centre over those years.
Source · Newslaundry
True
The UP and central governments together spend almost 12,500 crore rupees only on advertisements.
What's actually true
One source totals the two periods at roughly 12,800 crore, within rounding of 12,500.
Source · Newslaundry

The full story, from the sources›

At present, against the intended coverage of 81.35 crore persons, about 80 crore persons are receiving food grains free of cost. - Press Information Bureau (2025-12-31) While the Modi government at the Centre has spent roughly Rs 6,000 crore on advertising in 11 years, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has spent close to Rs 7,000 crore in just eight. - Newslaundry (2026-08-05)

From primary sources · reporting

How it's framed (5)›

Angry wording - Uses phrases like "first time in India's history" to frame the spending comparison as an unprecedented and negative event for the central government.

Juxtaposition - Cuts between the speaker's direct address to camera, images of Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath walking together, a scene of rural poor villagers at what appears to be a government service counter with a computer, and a graphic directly comparing ad spending with photos of Modi and Yogi to imply misplaced priorities.

Selective omission - Highlights government ad spending totals and daily averages while contrasting with poverty indicators (80 crore on free grains, children receiving raw potatoes in midday meals) without mentioning the purpose of the ads (publicizing schemes) or comparing to other expenditures.

Appeal to grievance - Repeatedly invokes "that country" and "that state" in context of widespread hunger and poor nutrition for children immediately before and after citing massive ad spending figures to suggest government indifference to public welfare.

Loaded characterization - The overall proposition frames government advertising expenditure as "wasting" public money while juxtaposing it with poverty and poor school meals, implying misplaced priorities without evidence that the spending caused or directly trades off against those conditions.

Sources (2)›

[1]news report2026-08-05

Newslaundry ↗

While the Modi government at the Centre has spent roughly Rs 6,000 crore on advertising in 11 years, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has spent close to Rs 7,000 crore in just eight.

[2]official document2025-12-31

Press Information Bureau ↗

At present, against the intended coverage of 81.35 crore persons, about 80 crore persons are receiving food grains free of cost.

Notes on this check (2)›

Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "State government advertisement spending is greater than c…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "More than 80 crore people in India still stand in line fo…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.

Checked against 1 source · 15 Aug 2026

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