NEW DELHI: At the Union cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, the social media performance of Cabinet ministers was a key point of discussion, with each of them presented with a detailed assessment of their traction as well as efforts to amplify the government’s schemes through online platforms.
As part of the Gen Z outreach, it was also decided that one Union minister will visit one university each day to engage with the youth. During these day-long visits, the ministers must communicate to students about the government’s schemes, development policies and achievements across sectors as well as gather their perspectives on issues facing the country.
Education Minister Pralhad Joshi and Youth Affairs Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will coordinate these visits.
All the Cabinet ministers were presented with an assessment card outlining their digital performance from May 1 to August 15.
The assessment took into account the frequency of ministers’ posts, engagement with citizens, amplification of government schemes and achievements, the average number of posts shared on various subjects, the success of government projects, initiatives and outreach programmes, as well as follower counts and the number of likes received on posts between May 1 and August 15. Sources said that a slew of suggestions were also shared on ways to further increase visibility and reach across digital platforms, which have gained wider acceptance among young audiences and the public in general.
“This seems to be aimed at acquainting the emerging younger generations with thegovernment’s commitments, policies and achievements as Gen Z is set to become first-time voters in the next few years. Those who are now 14 to 15 years old will be 18 to 19 by 2029-30,” a BJP source said.
The move comes as organisations like the Cockroach Janata Party are trying to attract Gen Z and youngsters over various issues.
Modi tops ranking for online presence
Sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi topped the social media performance assessment rankings for the period from May 1 to August 15. The assessment considered ministers’ visibility on social media platforms, like Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn