CHANDIGARH:The Punjab government is going for an image makeover. Its public image has taken a beating after the Moga molestation incident and the controversy about the alleged involvement of some of its ministers in drug smuggling. The besieged state government is now hiring two private agencies to rescue its sinking public profile.
While one agency will be responsible for managing its social media accounts (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter) and blogs, another has been shortlisted for branding and public relations.
Sources said that Om Logic, a Delhi-based firm, has been given a two-year contract for handling social media for the state government and will be paid Rs 1.32 crore as fee.
The daily scope of work for the company is to upload seven videos on YouTube, 12 Facebook posts, 30 tweets, and eight blog posts. Messaging app WhatsApp will also be used to promote policies and developmental works done by the government. The government employees will also be told to use this service, which aims to target the youth and NRIs as they are most active on social media.
The government has also shortlisted Pehchan Advertising and Marketing for handling its branding and public relations. This company had the lowest bid of Rs 6 crore, but it hasn’t been hired as yet and a final decision is to be made.
The brand building exercise for the government would include organising investment and agriculture summits.
Punjab public relations and revenue minister, Bikram Singh Majithia, said, “Social media is the in thing. This platform is quick in dispersing information and vice-versa. Be it Twitter, Facebook or blogs, the youth are already on it. They hardly read the newspapers.’’
“Already many states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra are using social media platforms to promote themselves,’’ Majithia said.
“Nowadays states compete with each other to attract investment in various fields and also to promote tourism. This is why branding is needed. Many governments have hired professionals for this purpose,” he said, adding that it was Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal’s idea to hire companies for social media and branding.