Panel to fine-tune outreach strategy

NEWDELHI: The Centre has formed a panel of ministers to address the problem of fake news and to finetune its communication strategy to ensure accurate dissemination of information related to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials aware of the matter said on Monday. Union information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar will lead the panel that will also include Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju, and Babul Supriyo. They will spearhead efforts to spread more awareness about the pandemic.

Officials said the panel was constituted around a week back and has held meetings and discussed important aspects, including the exodus of migrants, left jobless by the Covid-19 lockdown, from big cities to their homes.

“The government is quite clear and focused that the battle against the pandemic cannot be won unless there is clear and accurate communication. The

Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] has spearheaded efforts to disseminate information on this unprecedented pandemic. And it is important that this communication should reach every person in his or her own language. Naturally, this requires a lot of aspects to be looked at on a daily and even hourly basis that is if you factor in the menace of fake news. Basically, the purpose of this panel is to spread better awareness,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

The official said that awareness levels related to the Covid-19 lockdown and even the pandemic were reasonably good but there could be specific areas where the communication needs to be improved. For instance, there could be misconceptions about the use of masks, the official added. The panel will examine all the areas and then form plans and strategies. “In addition, fake news needs to be constantly kept in check,” the official said.

The information and broadcasting ministry has formed a special unit to curb fake news .