Arun Jaitley asks ministries to keep PIB informed of all policy decisions and important communications

NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry under Arun Jaitley has proposed a radical enhancement of the involvement of Press Information Bureau officers in ministries, asking for them to be informed of all policy decisions and important communications.

Jaitley also advised bureaucrats to be more careful in their language while expressing contrarian views during the decision-making process as he said the media was these days also interested in the decision-making process besides the final decision.

“While expressing your contrarian views during the decision-making process, do not create a bombshell which leads to embarrassment for the civil servant later. This is not to suggest that do not give your inputs, even if adverse. But media these days is more interested in reporting in the alleged controversy in the decisionmaking process,” he said. Prasar Bharti Chief A Surya Prakash, meanwhile, advised ministers to be more careful while tweeting and said impulsive reactions on Twitter should be avoided by Ministers.

After complaints from PIB officers of non-cooperation from ministries in parting with information, Jaitley suggested a standard operating procedure (SOP) at a day-long workshop on Monday for a “rapid response mechanism” for media.

“PIB officer needs to be informed of every policy decision whether it needs to be communicated to the media or not. A copy of all important circulars, advisories, directives, notices or data should be sent to PIB officer.

Secretaries of all respective ministries should issue a correspondence to all officers of Joint Secretary and above, directing to provide information and access to PIB officers to facilitate time-bound information dissemination,” as per a 4-page SOP circulated at the workshop for “streamlining information flow”.

The SOPs also stipulate that a nodal officer in the ministry will keep the PIB officer informed of all ministryrelated activities of minister and secretary “in sufficient advance” and that the PIB officer should have “direct and immediate access” to the Minister and the Secretary. “For important policy matters, the minister and the secretary should be willing and prepared to give sound bytes to TV channels to be identified by the PIB officer,” the SOPs specify. The SOPs also say the PIB officer should be invited to all important meetings where policy decisions in the ministry are being discussed.

“Include PIB officers in your meetings. They are not people who will twist things. Rather they are working in your interest,” I&B Secretary Bimal Julka told senior officers of all ministries and private secretaries to ministers at the workshop on Monday. SOPs also stress that rapid response to media is needed to effectively respond to “wrong perceptions which can go viral” if not checked quickly.

Earlier during the workshop, Jaitley said ministers must take lead in being government’s communicators while bureaucrats must avoid propaganda.