BHOPAL: Logo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-hyped Make in India initiative, which aims to brand India as a manufacturing hub is designed by a foreign company’s Indian arm, reveals a query under Right to Information Act.

Replying to query by a Madhya Pradesh-based activist, Chandra Shekhar Gaur, Union commerce and industry ministry replied, “No tenders were invited for designing Make In India logo. In 2014-15, tenders were invited by the ministry for appointing a creative agency. And on its basis, Weiden+Kennedy India Limited, was chosen. And it’s this company which designed the logo for Make In India”.

Wieden+Kennedy, founded in Portland, Oregon, is one of the largest independently owned advertising agencies, with presence in Amsterdam, Beijing, London, New York, Portland, Shanghai, Tokyo and India.

Activist Guar also sought information on total payment made for the creation of the Make In India logo, but the ministry said in its reply — No separate payment was made for creating the logo.

While replying to another query, the ministry informed that Weiden+Kennedy India Limited was hired for Rs 11 crore for advertising and promotion of Make In India, campaign, for 3 years — Rs 4.32 crore for financial year 2014-15, Rs 3.6 crore each for 2015-16 & 2016-17, said the reply in last week of December.

Speaking to TOI, Gaur said, “It feels good to hear about ‘Make In India’ and the campaign also talks good about our country. It’s a good initiative, but it would have been better and sent a stronger message if this was done by an Indian firm. There is no dearth of creative talent in India.”



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