Modi government to merge film, song, advertising divisions

New Delhi: In a major consolidation of  its publicity and advertisement wings of the Narendra Modi government has decided to establish bureau of outreach and communication to spread the regime’s achievements among common masses.

Sources stated that by creating a unified organisation by merging the Directorate of film festivals (DFF), the song and drama division (SDD) and the directorate of advertising and visual publicity (DAVP), the government hopes to ensure better reach and synergy in the projection of people centric policies of the Modi government. This newspaper had on November 10 reported that the Modi government wants to majorly revamp its media strategy by creating a unified organisation.

Sources stated that the recently  transferred Indian Information Officers, who have been moved across the country, are also likely to report to this newly-created bureau of outreach and communication. It is understood that the move comes as part of the Union I&B  ministry’s proposal to restructure its various departments. With this the I&B ministry hopes to aggressively promote Modi government’s social welfare schemes and steps across the country.

The new wing is also expected to be more capable in launching focussed advertisement campaigns and audio visual outreach through the print, electronic, social media space and person to person contact programmes. Currently, the DFF organises, initiates and presents various film festivals in India and the SDD aims to promote government initiatives through live performances including a variety of folk forms. The DFF and SDD will be merged into the DAVP which is the nodal agency of government for advertising by various ministries and departments, including public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies.