Dear Comrades,
The
Department of Posts has been on Twitter for nearly two years. PN Ranjit Kumar,
director global business of India Post, who handles the department's social
media initiatives, explains that its Twitter presence started as a marketing
tool to encourage people to visit their local post office more often. Along the
way, there were some surprises. "The number of elders talking to us is huge,"
says Kumar. With 7,478 followers, it mostly gets suggestions on how to improve
its service, and compliments and complaints.
NEW DELHI: Even as the Centre is
drawing up guidelines to encourage government bodies to use social media, a
handful of entities are showing how they can use Facebook, Twitter and more to connect with citizens
better.
The Planning Commission, Census 2011, department of posts, and the ministry of external affairs have, over the past year, established a functional and active presence on social media: from inviting suggestions to answering questions, from creating awareness to initiating debates. "It is inevitable because the government should go where the people are," says Sunil Abraham, executive director at the Centre for Internet and Society, a policy research organisation.
The 12th Plan discussions were moved to a new page, managed by the CII's India@75 team, in early-August. Called 'Conversations with the Planning Commission', the posts are compiled and forwarded to the Commission from time to time, says Bhairavi Jani, executive director, India@75. "We plan to launch a dedicated YouTube channel and be on Twitter as well," she says. It's also getting Planning Commission members to participate in live Facebook discussions on specific topics. The reasons for being on social media platforms vary. It was at the suggestion of UN agencies working with the Census Department on its communication and website that the idea of a Facebook page came about to reach young citizens.
The Planning Commission, Census 2011, department of posts, and the ministry of external affairs have, over the past year, established a functional and active presence on social media: from inviting suggestions to answering questions, from creating awareness to initiating debates. "It is inevitable because the government should go where the people are," says Sunil Abraham, executive director at the Centre for Internet and Society, a policy research organisation.
The 12th Plan discussions were moved to a new page, managed by the CII's India@75 team, in early-August. Called 'Conversations with the Planning Commission', the posts are compiled and forwarded to the Commission from time to time, says Bhairavi Jani, executive director, India@75. "We plan to launch a dedicated YouTube channel and be on Twitter as well," she says. It's also getting Planning Commission members to participate in live Facebook discussions on specific topics. The reasons for being on social media platforms vary. It was at the suggestion of UN agencies working with the Census Department on its communication and website that the idea of a Facebook page came about to reach young citizens.
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