The Maharashtra government has issued guidelines to all its departments through a Government Resolution (GR) to promptly respond to “non-factual or misleading news” about the state government. The move comes two weeks after the state issued a GR to set up a media monitoring centre at an estimated cost of `10 crore to monitor news coverage related to the government – be it print, electronic, social or digital. The centre will analyse the coverage and take action on the spread of “negative” or “misleading” news related to the state government.
In this regard, Director General of Information and Public Relations, Brijesh Singh said that through the circular, the government aims to enhance its operational efficiency by taking cognisance of significant news related to governance and providing better services to citizens. He further said that it is a significant step towards transparent and accountable governance. Mr Singh said it will ensure that information and issues highlighted by the media are promptly addressed, leading to the establishment of a more effective mechanism for resolving public grievances.
