Finding itself in a catch 22 situation for giving little access to the media that in turn is leading to speculative reporting and also making government lose out on crucial coverage of its work, the Modi government is finally showing keenness to streamline and disseminate the process of information.
Finding itself in a catch 22 situation for giving little access to the media that in turn is leading to speculative reporting and also making government lose out on crucial coverage of its work, the Modi government is finally showing keenness to streamline and disseminate the process of information.
At a unique workshop of top information bureaucrats attached with each ministry through Public Information Bureau (PIB), the government on Monday sought to make them privy to the decision making process in the ministries, something unheard of so far.
Aiming at streamlining the government's communication strategy, I&B minister, Arun Jaitley cautioned ministers against getting into a "shell", and waste opportunities to effectively disseminate information about programmes and policies of the government.
To make the process work, the ministry of information and broadcasting has made specific standard operating procedures or guidelines for PIB to make at least one of its officers made available to each ministry specifically to involve in planning all decisions relating to communication both directly to public or through media.
The officer will also handle communication to social media besides all other forms.
Though on the face of it, Jaitley advised PIB officials to put even contrarian views as part of an honest decision-making process, the flip side could be, sources said, that the communication may stand limited only between PIB officers and media and not between different heads of divisions within the ministries such as joint secretaries, additional secretaries and secretaries etc.
The standard operating procedure advises ministers and secretaries to be willing and prepared to give sound bytes to channels identified by the PIB official.
Incidentally, it does not talk about ministers themselves choosing to speak to the media.
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