About Ministry Of Information And Broadcasting
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is one among the early Ministries set up after India’s Independence and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was India’s first Minister for Information and Broadcasting.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is one of the vital Ministries that represent the face of the government in reaching out to the masses. The Ministry is entrusted with the task of disseminating information about government policies, schemes and programmes through the different medium of mass communication covering radio, television, press, social media, printed publicity like booklets posters, outdoor publicity including through traditional modes of communication such as dance, drama, folk recitals, puppet shows etc. The Ministry is also the focal point as regards policy matters related to private broadcasting sector, administering of the public broadcasting service- Prasar Bharati, multi-media advertising and publicity of the policies and programmes of the Union Government, film promotion and certification and regulation of print media.
On the public service broadcasting sphere, the Ministry overviews matters relating to All India Radio and Doordarshan through the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India Act),1990 which includes regulation of the use of All India Radio and Doordarshan by recognised national and regional political parties during elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and procedure to be followed by the official electronic media during periods of national mourning on the demise of a high dignitary.
The Information Wing is in charge of the presentation and interpretation of the policies and activities of the Government of India through the medium of the print, electronic and digital media, framing of policy guidelines for rate fixation of government advertisements on print electronic and online platform, administering of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, the Press Council Act, 1978 and allocation of newsprint to Newspapers. Besides, it is the administrative wing for the Media Units namely, Press Information Bureau Bureau of Outreach and Communication