NEW DELHI: Suppose you are watching a story on a TV news channel about the miserable lives of people in a poverty stricken, drought-hit village in interior India and within seconds after the programme, a video pops up on the same channel refuting the same story, presenting visuals and budgetary details of how the government was doing everything possible to uplift the same place.'A rapid media response cell' is the government's new idea to tackle "critical and half baked" stories run by media channels. This is part of the I & B ministry's efforts to put a new communication strategy in place shortly. "Many of the critical stories run in media today are based on little information and misinterpretations by journalists and do not present the full picture," said an official, explaining the idea behind this new plan. Details of the new communication strategy were proposed and accepted by a committee of secretaries of all ministries held on Monday.The rapid media response cell will have professionals who can monitor stories on media and send instant responses to media teams to be presented or published. "Sometimes a rumour or a false story about the government's failure remains etched in public memory. The present system of sending rejoinders doesn't work as they are published only next day and often never even considered by TV channels. With social media, the response team can ensure the clarifications and denials are suitably publicised on facebook and twitter," the official added.The response cell at the ministry is expected to liasion with media and give suitable responses to their stories. All secretaries have now been asked to update their websites and activate social media cells in their respective ministries that can work with response cell to give instant responses for stories on them.According to the proposal, all ministries have been asked to republish their schemes and benefits and ensure their PIB officials are briefed everyday by ministry secretaries and domain experts to talk to media. Listing OROP, landbill as areas of main criticism in the recent months, the ministry has also proposed that ministers and secretaries be given the responsibility of issuing uniform responses to related stories so that the government is not accused of being 'silent.'In the meeting on Monday, sources said while some secretaries were of the opinion that media needs to be kept at a distance, many felt engaging the media and monitoring their stories with "befitting" responses will help the government in its new communication strategy.Sources said the PMO, off late has been quite concerned about the waning popularity of the government and was looking at ways to increase its reach. A new communication strategy will reboot the government's publicity model in many ways and will be put in place shortly, said officials sources, who added that that the ministry plans to have a talkathon by a minister every month.The ministry has also proposed that "Information Education Communication" be an essential part of every cabinet note so that budgetary allocation for publicising the schemes are known to stakeholders. Part of the new communication strategy is also a series of region specific, theme-based ads that will be released soon to publicise the Centre's efforts in every State.