CENTRE WORKING ON GOM PLAN TO IMPROVE MEDIA OUTREACH TO TACKLE CRITICISM

The government is working on recommendations made by the working Group of Ministers on communication (GOM) formed last year to improve the Centre’s media outreach strategy, the ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Hindustan Times.

“Action taken on the GOM report is still continuing,” the RTI response said, adding that “it maybe premature to disclose the details as it would serve no public interest.”

Hindustan Times, which reviewed the GOM report, on December 8 reported that the Union government was working on a strategy to overhaul its media and public outreach, with a group of ministers (GOM) comprising nine Union ministers recommending a focus on 10 key areas as well as detailing ways in which criticism could be addressed and positive messaging can be spread wider.

“The final deliberations of the GOM will have to be cleared by the Cabinet,” a senior government official said on condition of anonymity.

The recommendations also focused on social media discourse, saying there is a need to constantly track 50 “negative influencers”, and to engage with 50 “positive influencers” to put the “government’s view point in the right perspective.”

The RTI filed by HT seeking details on the action taken by the GOM was disposed by the First Appellate Authority citing section 8 1 (I) of the RTI Act, 2005. The section refers to cabinet papers including records of deliberations of the Council of Ministers, Secretaries and other officers: “Provided that the decisions of Council of Ministers, the reasons thereof, and the material on the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made public after the decision has been taken, and the matter is complete, or over: Provided further that those matters which come under the exemptions specified in this section shall not be disclosed,” it states.

NEW DELHI: