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Planning Commission goes Social
TO Demonstrate why government
bodies in India need to be on social media, we would like to draw your
attention to one fact – by June 2013, 66 million Indians will be on social
media*. This number is fast growing, with over 150,000 new users joining social
media platforms every month. While these statistics appear relatively minor in
comparison to the total population, it is important to note heir influence. For
instance, a new study asserts, “at a very conservative estimate, the
fortunes of contestants seeking election to the next Lok Sabha from not less than
150 constituencies will be determined by Facebook users”. The point here is
that government institutions can no longer ignore engagement on social media platforms.
These platforms provide voice to people, and it is essential to not only listen
to them for feedback but also engage in dialogue through them. This engagement
is not just a marketing tool prior to elections. Rather, it allows for a constant
engagement between Ministries and the public, and is now an important component
of the government’s service delivery to citizens.
Governments around the
world have recognized the power of social media. President Barack Obama uses
Twitter town halls to take questions from the people, the Russian law
department periodically seeks feedback on new policies through their Twitter
handle, and in Ontario the province crowd-sourced ideas on how to better
integrate social innovation in the government. Even in India, our Prime
Minister’s Office uses Twitter to inform its 5 lakh plus followers on the
activities of the PM. These are just a few examples to show that there is a
growing acknowledgement that greater transparency can be achieved through proactive
dissemination of information from the government.
