Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has launched a new enhanced web portal -- narendramodi.in -- which would enable the common man to interact with him.
With the launch of the portal, Modi joins a league of United States politicians like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain, who have been using the internet as a tool to reach out to their supporters, gathering donations and getting feedback on policies and programmes.
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Modi launched the portal on September 17, on his 59th birthday.
According to the statement from the CM's office, the portal is for the 'common man, providing him with an interface to get in touch with Modi, ask him questions, request for an appointment and share ideas 'that can shape Gujarat'.
A unique feature of the portal is the 'Interact with Narendra Modi' section, where the Chief Minister will give answers to questions posted on the portal using audio-video interface, it added.
The 'Namo' fans (an abbreviation for Narendra Modi) can download wallpapers of Modi or set a screen saver showing the chief minister in different moods.
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The portal also invites contribution from the users for the 'Swarnim Gujarat programme', launched to celebrate 50 years of Gujarat's existence as a separate state in 2010.
The section 'The CM' gives an overview of Modi's life and career from his middle class home in Vadnagar taluk of Mehsana to a high profile politician who has always been in the news.
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Every page on the portal has a photograph of Modi with his quotes, most famous being -- "I didn't become CM in 2001. I have always been CM, I am CM today and shall be CM forever. For me CM means not Chief Minister but Common Man" -- which he mentions in his speeches.
The quotes have been programmed to run in loops, so every time one refreshes the page, a new quote appears.
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The portal also has features like online auctions and purchases, where a user can participate in biding for gifts and souvenirs received by Modi.
The proceeding of these auctions will be utilised for various development programmes implemented in the state, the statement said.
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Chief Minister Modi has been promoting e-governance and information technology in a big way. Under the 'Jyotir Gram programme' all the 18,000 villages of the state have been connected using a broadband connection.
