The government is planning to put in place a framework for officials that would allow them to leverage power of social media, a top Department of Information and Technology (DIT) official said here today.

"We are creating a framework that would help all the GoI departments and officials to make use of social media like Facebook, Twitter. ... effectively," Additional Secretary DIT, GoI Shankar Aggarwal told PTI on the sidelines of an event.

"We expect to give final shape to it (framework) over next two or three months and notify it," he said.

"The idea is that they can enter into dialogue with public more freely, take suggestions, feedbacks and provide updates. It shall be more of a two-way rather than being a one-way communication," Aggarwal stated.

"The social media is being used extensively by the civil society, but unfortunately, presently we do not have any framework for GoI and for the state government," he said.

"The government officers are scared of using social media because they are not sure whether they are allowed to use it or not. Even if they are allowed, then they are not sure what are the do's and dont's," Aggarwal observed. .

Meanwhile, the government is planning to introduce 'The Right to Public Services Act' soon that would make it mandatory for government entities to deliver public services in electronic form too.

"We have already created a framework and for this (Act) the framework is to be converted into a law. We think we will be able to introduce it in the next session of Parliament and this will become a law," he said.

"Under this, what we shall be trying, is to ask the government entities to deliver all the public services in electronic form also. And it has to be achieved over next five years," he informed.

"We are also planning to develop a payment gateway for the entire country so that people could pay electronically for various services," Aggarwal said.