Amaravati, Sep 30: The Andhra Pradesh government has introduced a new Social Media Influencer Empanelment Policy to promote government welfare schemes, development programmes and public-awareness campaigns through digital platforms.
Under G.O.Ms.No.197, issued by the General Administration (I&PR) Department on September 28, 2026, the government plans to identify and empanel credible social media influencers and content creators for official publicity activities. The policy covers platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.
Who Can Be Empanelled as a Social Media Influencer?
The policy is aimed at digital content creators with a significant online following and public reach. Reports on the policy indicate that creators with at least 10,000 followers on a social media platform can be considered for empanelment, subject to verification and other criteria.
The government is expected to consider factors such as:
- Number of followers
- Content quality
- Audience reach and engagement
- Posting activity
- Credibility of the social media account
- Public impact of the creator
The objective is to use established digital audiences to communicate information about government programmes and public services.
How Much Will AP Government Pay Influencers?
The government’s social media influencer policy provides different remuneration levels based on follower categories. Reported rates range from ₹2,500 to ₹15,000, depending on the creator’s follower base.
| Follower Category | Reported Payment |
|---|---|
| 10,000–24,999 | Up to ₹2,500 |
| 25,000–49,999 | Up to ₹5,000 |
| 50,000–99,999 | Up to ₹7,500 |
| 1 lakh and above | Up to ₹15,000 |
The payment structure is subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the government programme. Reports have also cited a maximum monthly payment limit under the policy.
Why Has Andhra Pradesh Introduced the Influencer Policy?
The government says the policy is intended to strengthen digital communication and take information about welfare schemes, infrastructure projects, public services and development programmes to a wider audience.
The move comes as social media platforms increasingly serve as an important source of information, particularly for younger audiences. The government intends to create a formal mechanism through which verified digital creators can participate in official communication campaigns.
Role of AP Digital Corporation
The AP Digital Corporation (APDCL) is expected to play a role in identifying and working with social media creators under the new framework. The government has indicated that creator credibility, content quality and public reach will be considered while selecting influencers.
The policy therefore creates an official channel of cooperation between the government and digital content creators for public-information campaigns.
Questions Over Government Publicity Spending
The new policy has also triggered questions about the use of public money for social media promotion.
Critics have questioned why the government needs a separate influencer network when existing communication mechanisms already include the Information and Public Relations Department, official government social media accounts and AP Digital Corporation.
Opposition parties have also raised concerns about whether government-funded publicity should remain politically neutral and transparent. These are political criticisms and do not by themselves establish that the influencer programme is being used for partisan promotion.
Transparency Becomes a Key Issue
The main questions surrounding the policy relate to transparency and accountability.
These include:
- Who will be included in the final influencer panel?
- What criteria will be used to select creators?
- How much will each influencer be paid?
- What will be the total government expenditure?
- How will campaign performance be measured?
- What safeguards will prevent political or partisan content from being funded with public money?
- How will the government disclose campaign spending and results?
Clear public disclosure of empanelment criteria, payments and campaign outcomes could become important as the policy is implemented.
Government Publicity or a New Digital Outreach Model?
The Andhra Pradesh government’s influencer policy represents a new approach to communicating government programmes through established social media audiences.
The policy’s stated purpose is to expand the reach of information about welfare schemes, development activities and public-interest programmes. At the same time, the use of public funds for influencer-based publicity is likely to remain a subject of political and public scrutiny.
The effectiveness of AP’s Social Media Influencer Empanelment Policy will ultimately depend on how transparently creators are selected, how public money is spent and whether the campaigns deliver measurable public-information benefits.
