Punjab government will get 15 expert teams at an annual budget of Rs 7 crore to step up its social media game to fight COVID-19 with a bigger outreach and awareness. The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the budget for these teams, which will be constituted by engaging professionals and experts in the field.
The opposition has, however, opposed the decision accusing the state government of wasting precious state exchequer for PR work.
“In current crisis every single penny of revenue is crucial and they are wasting it for their own publicity. On one hand they claim to be fund-starved and seek additional loans and funds, but on the other, they are out to outsource the social media management despite having a designated PR department. No team can cover up the government's shortcomings,” Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema, spokesperson of Shiromani Akali Dal, told THE WEEK.
Meanwhile, calling it a vital upgradation in disseminating information to fight the coronavirus, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that the move shall strengthen government-public interaction and help in development of seamless communication as one of the strengths.
“The cabinet feels that some departments have a high-level of interaction with the public, while it is almost negligible in others. Social media has emerged as the quickest and most effective way in not just creating awareness and making announcements but also in countering the spread of misinformation and rumors. The social media teams would help in bridging the gap between these departments and the public at large,” said CM.
