MAM
Mann ki Baat ten-second ad rate is Rs 200,000
NEW DELHI: The rate of ten-second advertisements on AllIndia Radio for the prime minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ is Rs 2,00,000, the Parliament has been told.
This rate is for advertisement booking of AIR consisting of 200 primary channels/local radio stations, 41 Vividh Bharati stations and 30 FM Rainbow and gold channels, the minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said in reply to a question.
The duration of the respective episodes does not have any bearing on the rates since no sponsorships are booked for the programme for the entire broadcast.
Thirty-eight advertisers listed by the minister include the Election Commission, 11 central ministries, some autonomous departments or organisations under the government and some private advertisers.
The programme is put out in all regional languages under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The translation is done by AIR with the resources available with it. Apart from a meagre amount for regional translation as per AIR’s fee structure, no significant expenditure is incurred.
A total of 33 editions of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ have been aired till date since the first edition of the programme was aired on 3 October 2014.
Brands
Devyani International Ltd plans three-subsidiary merger to streamline operations
QSR operator moves to streamline structure and unlock operational synergies
Devyani International is tightening its corporate kitchen. The quick-service restaurant operator has approved a scheme to merge three subsidiaries—Sky Gate Hospitality, Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery—into the parent company in a bid to simplify its structure and sharpen operational efficiency.
The decision was cleared at a board meeting on March 10 and disclosed in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges. The merger will take effect from April 1, 2025, subject to statutory approvals.
All three transferor companies are direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, meaning no fresh shares will be issued and the shareholding pattern of Devyani International will remain unchanged once the scheme is completed.
The subsidiaries together operate more than 100 outlets—including dine-in restaurants and cloud kitchens, spread across over 40 cities such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
Devyani International, the largest franchisee of Yum Brands in India, said the consolidation is aimed at generating operational synergies, optimising resource utilisation and reducing layers within the corporate structure.
Financially, the move brings together businesses of varying scale. As of March 31, 2025, Devyani International reported a net worth of Rs 10,381.02 million and turnover of Rs 33,493.33 million. Sky Gate Hospitality posted a net worth of Rs 761.14 million with turnover of Rs 2,657.57 million, while Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery reported smaller operations and negative net worth.
The merger will consolidate these operations under a single corporate umbrella as the company sharpens its focus on scale and efficiency.
Devyani International currently runs more than 2,000 outlets across over 280 cities in India, Nigeria, Nepal and Thailand. Its portfolio includes franchise rights for brands such as Pizza Hut, KFC, Costa Coffee, Tea Live, New York Fries and Sanook Kitchen, alongside its own food brands.
With the paperwork underway and approvals pending, Devyani is essentially clearing the corporate clutter—turning three subsidiaries into one tighter, leaner operation. In the QSR world, even the back office needs a spring clean.
