Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday, 25 May 2026, shared a live broadcast of the 'Social Media Manthan' (Social Media Deliberation) programme being held in Haldwani, Nainital, signalling the state government's continued push to deepen digital engagement with citizens and media professionals.

Context

The event, hosted in Haldwani — the largest city in Nainital district and the commercial nerve centre of the Kumaon region — brought together state officials, social media practitioners and communicators under one roof. Chief Minister Dhami streamed the programme live on his official X account, extending its reach beyond the physical venue. The title 'Manthan', meaning a collective churning or deliberation, signals an intent to foster open dialogue rather than a one-way government broadcast.

Policy Backdrop

The programme fits squarely within the broader Digital India framework launched nationally in 2015, which sought to strengthen the interface between citizens and government through digital platforms. Since 2014, Indian state administrations have steadily expanded their social media presence for direct communication, grievance redressal and real-time policy feedback. Uttarakhand under the current administration has organised multiple outreach initiatives that blend physical gatherings with live digital streaming, treating social media not merely as a broadcast tool but as a two-way governance channel.

CM Dhami, who has been in office since 2021, has made digital outreach a visible part of his administrative style, regularly using platforms such as X to share government programmes directly with constituents. The 'Social Media Manthan' format appears to be part of a structured effort to train and align state-level communicators with the government's messaging priorities.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary stakeholders of this programme include state government officials, district-level administrators, media professionals and active social media users across Uttarakhand. For the residents of Haldwani and the wider Kumaon belt, such events can translate into more responsive digital grievance mechanisms and better-informed local governance. Social media professionals and content creators attending the event may receive guidance or training that shapes how government schemes and public-interest information are communicated at the grassroots level.

The choice of Haldwani as the venue is also notable: as a fast-growing urban centre with strong connectivity to the hill districts, it serves as a natural hub for outreach programmes targeting both urban and semi-urban audiences in the region.

What's Next

Observers will watch for any formal social media guidelines, district-level follow-up workshops or structured training modules that emerge from the Haldwani event. If the 'Manthan' format is replicated across other divisions of Uttarakhand, it could indicate a systematic, state-wide strategy to institutionalise social media governance. The live-streaming of the event itself suggests the administration is keen on transparency and broad participation beyond those physically present.