The Bihar government has introduced a new incentive for social media content creators, offering payments of up to ₹1 lakh per video for content promoting government schemes, welfare programmes and development initiatives. The move comes as governments increasingly turn to social media platforms to reach younger audiences and communicate public welfare information more effectively.
Under the revised social media policy, eligible creators can receive ₹10,000 for every 1 lakh views generated by a qualifying video. The payment is capped at ₹1 lakh per video, meaning a video that reaches 10 lakh views could potentially qualify for the maximum incentive.
The Bihar Cabinet approved amendments to the Bihar Social Media and Other Online Media Rules, 2026 on August 19. The changes are aimed at expanding the government's digital outreach and encouraging creators to produce informative content about state schemes and programmes.
However, the incentive is not intended for every social media user who uploads a video. Bihar already has an empanelment system under its social media policy. The state's Information and Public Relations Department says individual social media accounts with at least 1 lakh followers on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X or YouTube can be eligible to apply for empanelment, subject to the applicable requirements.
The policy is designed to use the reach of influencers and online media platforms to inform citizens about government policies, welfare programmes and achievements. Creators therefore have an opportunity to combine their digital reach with public-information content while earning incentives based on audience engagement.
The announcement has generated considerable discussion online, with supporters viewing it as a modern way of communicating government schemes, while critics have questioned the use of public funds for influencer-driven promotion. The success of the initiative will likely depend on transparency in empanelment, verification of views and the quality and accuracy of the content produced.
For Bihar, the initiative marks a significant expansion of the government's digital communication strategy. As social media becomes an increasingly important source of information for millions of people, the state is seeking to use established creators to make government schemes more visible and accessible to the public.
