Jaitley wants ministers, bureaucrats to express themselves on social media
06 August, New Delhi
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday said that ‘social media is also an accountability tool and there is nothing wrong in giving freehand to ministers and bureaucrats to express themselves on the platform to make government functioning transparent.
During a function organised on the second anniversary of myGov, app he said, “Social media is an empowerment tool, empowering every individual both giving and receiving information.”
He advocated allowing bureaucrats to participate freely on social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Government should not leave any form of media as cost is limited and unlimited advantages like wide reach.
He said that social media too play important role in forming opinion. It helps in spreading the schemes and policies to last mile. “Government should not leave any medium and social media is cost effective,” he said. His advocacy is important as it has come against the backdrop of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) recently issuing draft service rules for the bureaucrats. In the draft criticism of government has not been allowed by the officials on the social media or any other public platform.
Jaitley was of the opinion that social media providers alternate view points, criticisms, comments and suggestions. Therefore in a transparent government system, I see nothing wrong in civil servants expressing themselves freely, ministers expressing themselves freely.
Describing the importance of the social media he said, “previously metropolitan cities were looked at for opinion or suggestions but today with the advent of social media, opinions are freely available every walk of life and each and every corner of the country. The youth are more informed and they contribute a lot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set an example of communicating via social media.” He said that social media cost is low and impact is more. It empowers all and increases accountability.