Anti-social budgeting

The current government is known to be fairly open-handed when it comes to approving requests for funds for programmes involving the social media, which is perceived to have played a significant role in bringing it to power. But it is noticeably less so when it comes to expenditure on social gatherings. A recent request by the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry for a party for the press did not elicit a favourable response from the finance ministry. But the North Block official's comment was interesting. He wrote: "I&B is already spending too much on social media, what is the need for a social gathering?" - an understandable objection in these frugal times.