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National Mission for Clean Ganga that has drawn flak for poor performance will hire digital agency to publicise its achievements.

New Delhi: The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the nodal body for implementing the Modi government’s flagship ‘Namami Gange’ programme, is looking to engage a ‘social media and digital agency’ to publicise its achievements.

The move comes on the back of the flak the NMCG has drawn for the delay in implementing the Ganga cleaning projects, one of the major electoral promises of the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Also read: Arun Jaitley claims in Budget that Ganga cleanup has picked up speed. It hasn’t

NMCG is set to allocate around Rs 3 crore for building its social media image over the next three years, which will include the employment of a social media agency.

According to a senior official at NMCG, the budget will cover the services of a content writer and a videographer apart from the social media agency, which will be paid at least Rs 1.5 crore to run NMCG’s Facebook page, Twitter profile, YouTube Channel and other accounts on Instagram, Google Plus and LinkedIn for the next three years.

“We will be inviting tenders for the agency within a week. Right now the proposal has been sent for approval,” he added.

NMCG had previously employed a social media agency in 2016 whose contract is set to expire in December. A request for proposal issued at the time listed the reasons behind the move which included enhancing the “brand image of NMCG”, highlighting its role and to “portray the efforts of Ganga Rejuvenation towards in proper perspective”.

Apart from managing its social media accounts, the agency is expected to oversee “conversation management” by tracking news related to Namami Gange and maintain a relationship with social media influencers.

According to the NMCG official, earlier three persons used to manage social media work of the agency, but now it will be expanded to a six-member team.

As part of its social media strategy, NMCG will now focus more on developing videos of the initiatives it is undertaking.

Also read: A Modi promise not kept: Images reveal how a pure Ganga turns disgustingly brown

“For example, a team has now gone to provide a live update of the work being done in Patna. So we will have to pay for producing the video and for whoever provides commentary in the video,” the official added.

#CleanGangaInBihar #NamamiGange

Untreated wastewater will soon not end up into Ganga in Patna. As seen in picture, work is in full swing at 60 MLD Saidpur Sewage Treatment Plant in Patna. pic.twitter.com/RIORn2I97t — Namami Gange | #IndiaFightsCorona (@cleanganganmcg) September 12, 2018

The official said NMCG aims to make at least one video every two months or about up to 10 videos every year. He said the budget for each video ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000. Out of the total budget, money will also be allotted for the purchase of editing software and buying Ganga-related images from the internet.

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