The Sikkim government’s multi-crore Sikkim Creatorprenuer Yojana announced by chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) to promote the state’s digital creators is now being doubted after the arrest of a vlogger from Nepal by Sikkim police.

The Sikkim Creatorprenuer Yojana, announced by Golay on December 21, is aimed at encouraging content creators to make posts to give positive publicity to Sikkim.

Uma Chamling Rai, a digital creator from Nepal, with 1.1 lakh followers on her Facebook page, was arrested on December 30 in Sikkim. On Monday, she posted a video that she was sent back to Nepal, and thanked the Sikkim government.

In a one-of-a-kind initiative by any state government, Golay had said that the content creators would be paid cash incentives starting from Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh. The content creators needed to have more than 500 followers and also make reels (short videos on social media).

Golay wanted creators to promote various state government schemes like Aama Yojana, Mero Rukh Mero Santati and Sikkim Garib Awas Yojana, among others.

A source in Sikkim said that the chief minister even said that the government would spend around Rs 100 crore through this new scheme.

“The plan is to divert some portion of the government’s advertisement revenue to this scheme,” said the source.

The scheme is in the process of being notified.

“It seems Golay wants to engage thousands of youths with incentive but also capitalise on the ever-growing social media craze among the population through this scheme,” said the source.

However, Uma’s arrest has come under the scanner.

Tshering Wangdi Lepcha, senior vice-president, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), said: “The chief minister himself said they would reward vloggers who promote the state. The girl (Uma) had said nothing against the state government. She asked people to attend the Legship event but she got arrested.”

“Who knows what would touch the government’s raw nerve and get us under an unnecessary government scanner,” said a youth from Sikkim. “It is better to keep distance,” added another.

On December 30, the Sikkim police arrested Uma after receiving complaints that her video was promoting enmity among different groups and because the “police received information that Uma’s security was under threat”.

Earlier this month, Uma made a video asking the Rai community to attend the Udhauli Sakewa festival to be held at Legship in West Sikkim on December 30.

Jacob Khaling, spokesman of the ruling SKM had termed the Legship festival an event of the opposition SDF. The organisers of the Legship festival denied the allegations.

SKM president and Sikkim chief minister Golay attended another Udhauli Sakewa festival held at Namchi on December 26.

Subsequently, Uma was sent back to Nepal on Sunday.