Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Mann Ki Baat in 2014, soon after coming to power, as a way to directly connect with people across the country. The main objective of the program was an attempt to reach out to the people of India. In an era where the glamour of the radio was waning, this program helped revive the All India Radio. The program was popular, and people were eagerly waiting to listen to what the Prime Minister wanted to say every time.
While the programme mainly aimed to engage with citizens, it also started generating revenue for the broadcaster. Details accessed through an RTI query have revealed how much revenue the programme earned between January 2023 and January 2026.
My RTI replies reveal that PM #NarendraModi’s #MannKiBaat continues to generate revenue
— Dr Vivek Pandey (@Vivekpandey21) March 19, 2026
•Revenue generated (Jan 2023 – Jan 2026) ₹5.33 Cr
*Since Jan 2014- 38.5 Cr
Spent on ads jan 23-26: 0₹
A rare public outreach programme that generates revenue without costing taxpayers pic.twitter.com/JNlXBb26Zx
Revenue details revealed through RTI
The details shared by Prasar Bharati, in response to the RTI filed by activist Vivek Pandey, reveal that the program generated a revenue of ₹5.33 crore during this period.
Meaning year-wise, the revenue stood at ₹16.60 lakh for the financial year 2022-23 (from January to March 2023). In 2023-24, the earnings saw a sharp rise to ₹1.17 crore. The upward trend continued in 2024-25, with revenue reaching ₹1.63 crore. For 2025-26, up to January 2026, the programme generated the highest amount at ₹2.36 crore.
These figures show a steady increase in earnings over time, indicating the programme’s growing reach and engagement.
No spending on advertisements
In another part of the RTI query, Vivek Pandey had asked about the amount spent by the government on advertising Mann Ki Baat across different platforms, including print, television, radio, and the internet, between January 2023 and January 2026.
Responding to this, the Central Bureau of Communication under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that “The expenditure incurred for advertisements for ‘Mann Ki Baat’ from January 2023 to January 2026 is NIL.” This means that no money was spent to advertise this program through any medium.
The findings highlight an interesting fact about ‘Mann Ki Baat’, it is a government program that does not just engage millions, but it is also profitable, with no cost for advertisements. The program has developed from just being an instrument for communication to being recognised as a broadcast program with significant social and financial impacts.
