Assam Finance Dept to use social media for state budget

For the first time, the Assam Finance Department will use social media as an additional platform to inform and engage citizens on the state's 2019-20 budget.

A decision to this effect was taken by the department as social media is an effective tool to gauge public mood, acquire feedback and also to engage citizens for the forthcoming budget, a spokesman of the department said Monday.

The budget will be presented by state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the Assembly on February 6.

The use of social media for seeking people's participation and inputs in the budget is also one of the first of its kind experiment in the country and has been very effective so far, the spokesman said.

In 11 days, the department has reached out to more than 1.6 lakh people by posting 200 feeds on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in 11 days, he said.

The use of this dynamic medium, in addition to other traditional means, has been inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' and also in keeping with the commitment to adhere to the principles of participatory governance, he said.

One of the key objectives of the social media campaign outreach strategy has been to create a bonding with the vibrant pool of youngsters and many other tech-savvy people of Assam, the spokesman said.

The state government's budget app, called Assam Budget, is also a unique initiative towards a 'Digital India'.