Facebook ties up with ET to offer live budget feeds

The Economic Times, India's largest and most popular business news paper, ET Now – the newly launched business news TV channel and economictimes.com have joined hands with the leading social networking site, Facebook, to let users share their thoughts with the FM regarding the Union Budget for the financial year 2010-11. The new initiative, “ET-Facebook: Talk to FM”, will give users a unique opportunity to post their views/suggestions on the Budget by logging on to www.economictimes.com. ET will then present the same to the FM and take the voice of the nation to the FM.

“ET-Facebook: Talk to FM” initiative, will give users the unique opportunity to not only post their expectations with the budget but also their views/suggestions after the presentation of the Budget by logging on to www.economictimes.com. The users could now reach out to the Finance Minister, expressing what he could do for various sections of the society, including salaried individuals, households, businesses and for the development of Infrastructure. Views expressed by the readers would be displayed on economictimes.com and also show on the user's Facebook Page. All opinions received through this initiative would be summarized and submitting the Finance Minister.

Here's a chance for people from all walks of life - students, working women, salaried people, businessmen and householders – to influence India's policy makers. Experience virtual power while logging on to economictimes.com and posting Budget suggestions to make Budget 2010 work for everyone!

Speaking about the strategic alliance, Rishi Khiani, CEO of Times Internet Limited, said, "We are happy to associate with Facebook – it's a unique win-win association between the most popular social networking site and India's leading business news portal. We are pioneering popular participation in the preparation of the Budget while providing realtime feedback to the Finance Minister from the vox populi. It's democracy at work! We're quite upbeat - it's a great beginning, allowing millions of Indians to participate and provide feedback, in almost real time to the policy makers on the financial decisions regarding the country"

"All over the world, people use Facebook to start and engage in discussions about things that are important to them. By powering this program with Facebook Connect, the Economic Times is helping provide people in India an easy way to take part in and express their views on the National Budget discussions." said Chamath Palihapitiya, VP of Growth, Mobile and International

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