Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय
Ministry overview
Formed	10 July 2016 (2016-07-10) (first time) 12 November 2022 (2022-11-12) (second time)
Preceding agencies	Ministry of Information and Public Relations (2022) Ministry of Communications and Media (2022)
Jurisdiction	Government of Vishwamitra
Headquarters	Rajagriha
Minister responsible	Rafe Burfield, Minister of Information and Broadcasting
Child agencies	Department of Information and Public Relations Department of Press Department of Government Policy Promotion Department of Media and Broadcasting Department of Film Production

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (Hindi: सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय), abbreviated as the I&B Ministry is a ministry in the government of Vishwamitra which is responsible for the formulation and administration of rules, regulations and laws in the areas of information, broadcasting, the press and the propaganda department.

The ministry was established for the first time on 10 July 2016 by then Prime Minister Dhrubajyoti Roy as a new ministry of the government and it continued to be one of the most important portfolios of the government. The ministry had often been subject to minor to major changes including merger with and bifurcation from other ministries.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is headed by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting which is a cabinet rank minister and is occassionally assisted by a junior minister or the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting. The first minister was Dhrubajyoti Roy, while the current minister is Rafe Burfield who has been in office since 14 May 2023 following the removal of Devin Purcell and also holds the portfolio of the Minister of Culture.

History

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was formed for the first time on 10 July 2016 by then Prime Minister Dhrubajyoti Roy. The ministry remained effective and was often assigned to the Minister of Culture who held the additional portfolio of the Minister of Information and Broadcasting. On 9 December 2019, the ministry was merged with the Minister of Culture resulting in the creation of the Ministry of Culture and Media. The Department of Information was accordingly bifurcated to form the Ministry of Information and Public Relations while the Department of Broadcasting was merged with the Ministry of Culture to form the Ministry of Culture and Media.

The independent status of the ministry was restored on 3 January 2020. On 17 March 2022, the ministry was merged with the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education to form the Ministry of Education, Culture and Youth.

On 12 November 2022, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was re-constituted as a result of the merger of the Ministry of Information and Public Relations and the Ministry of Communications and Media.

Departments

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has the following departments which were created by the Gazette Notification issued on 10 June 2022 for then independent ministries of Information and Public Relaitons, and Communications and Media which were merged together to form the current ministry on 12 November 2022.

• Department of Information
• Department of Public Relations
• Department of Press
• Department of Government Policy Promotion
• Department of E-communications
• Department of Digital Transformation and Dependence
• Department of Media and Broadcasting
• Department of Film Production

Ministers

Minister of Information and Broadcasting सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्री
Coat of arms of Vishwamitra
Incumbent Rafe Burfield, Count Burfield since 14 May 2023
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Style	The Most Honourable
Member of	Lok Sabha Cabinet
Reports to	Prime Minister
Nominator	Prime Minister
Appointer	The Rashtradhyaksh on the recommendation of the Prime Minister
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	10 July 2016
First holder	Dhrubajyoti Roy

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is headed by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting who is either a cabinet rank minister or a minister of state with independent charge. They are responsible for the formulation of various activities, tasks, laws under the ministry's jurisdication. Cabinet ministers of culture are often assisted by a junior minister, or a Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting.

The current Minister of Information and Broadcasting is Rafe Burfield who has been in office since 14 May 2023 and also serves as the Minister of Culture.

Three prime ministers - Dhrubajyoti Roy, Sarala Baishya and Ștefan Marius Snagoveanu held the portfolio of Information and Broadcasting during their tenure. Three ministers - Bhargab Jyoti Medhi, Nishwan Baidantic, and Jayden Dagsa served as ministers both with cabinet rank and with the rank of a minister of state with independent charge.

Cabinet Ministers

Key

• MoS, I/C means Minister of State (Independent charge)

Portrait		Minister (Birth-Death)	Term of office			Political party	Ministry	Prime Minister
			From	To	Period
Ministers of Information and Broadcasting (10 July 2016 – 9 December 2019)
		Dhrubajyoti Roy ध्रुबज्योति रॉय (born 2002) (Prime Minister)	10 July 2016	2 October 2016	7001840000000000000♠84 days	Secular Party	Dhrubajyoti III	Dhrubajyoti Roy
		Asmi Patranabis अस्मी पत्रनबिस (born 2007)	2 October 2016	30 December 2016	7001890000000000000♠89 days
		Bhargab Jyoti Medhi भार्गब ज्योति मेधी (born 2001) (MoS, I/C)	30 December 2016	5 February 2017	7001370000000000000♠37 days	Independent Party	Dhrubajyoti IV
		Asmi Patranabis अस्मी पत्रनबिस (born 2007)	5 February 2017	12 April 2017	7001660000000000000♠66 days	Secular Party
		Sarala Baishya सरला बैश्य (born 2005) (Prime Minister)	12 April 2017	5 July 2017	7001840000000000000♠84 days	Independent Party	Sarala III	Self
		Anirban Phatowali अनिर्बान फाटोवाली (born 2009)	5 July 2017	8 September 2017	7001650000000000000♠65 days	Independent Party	Tanishkaa II	Tanishkaa Patranabish
		Bishnu Chetry बिष्णु छेत्री (born 2001)	8 September 2017	25 December 2017	7002108000000000000♠108 days	Secular Party
		Arnab Sil अर्नब सिल (born 2004)	25 December 2017	21 March 2018	7001860000000000000♠86 days	Freedom Party	Dhrubajyoti V	Dhrubajyoti Roy
		Anirban Phatowali अनिर्बान फाटोवाली (born 2009)	21 March 2018	13 May 2018	7001530000000000000♠53 days	Congress	Dhrubajyoti VI
		Saikat Seal सैकत सील (born 2006)	13 May 2018	12 October 2018	7002152000000000000♠152 days		Tanishkaa III	Tanishkaa Patranabish
		Anirban Phatowali अनिर्बान फाटोवाली (born 2009)	12 October 2018	6 January 2019	7002139000000000000♠139 days		Dhrubajyoti VII	Dhrubajyoti Roy
			7 January}} 2019	28 February}} 2019			Tanishkaa IV	Tanishkaa Patranabish
		Bhargab Jyoti Medhi भार्गब ज्योति मेधी (born 2001)	28 February 2019	17 March 2019	7001170000000000000♠17 days
		Anirban Phatowali अनिर्बान फाटोवाली (born 2009)	17 March 2019	20 April 2019	7001340000000000000♠34 days		Tanishkaa V
		Manoj Chetry मनोज छेत्री (born 2005) (Additional charge)	20 April 2019	5 May 2019	7001150000000000000♠15 days
		Anirban Phatowali अनिर्बान फाटोवाली (born 2009)	5 May 2019	18 May 2019	7001130000000000000♠13 days
		Saikat Seal सैकत सील (born 2006) (Additional charge)	18 May 2019	23 May 2019	7000500000000000000♠5 days
		Anirban Phatowali अनिर्बान फाटोवाली (born 2009)	23 May 2019	3 June 2019	7001110000000000000♠11 days
		Manoj Chetry मनोज छेत्री (born 2005) (Additional charge)	3 June 2019	16 July 2019	7001430000000000000♠43 days
		Saikat Seal सैकत सील (born 2006)	16 July 2019	2 September 2019	7001480000000000000♠48 days
		Nishwan Baidantic निस्वान बैदंतिक (born 2001) (MoS, I/C)	2 September 2019	20 September 2019	7001180000000000000♠18 days
		Saikat Seal सैकत सील (born 2006)	20 September 2019	29 September 2019	7000900000000000000♠9 days
		Nishwan Baidantic निस्वान बैदंतिक (born 2001)	29 September 2019	15 October 2019	7001260000000000000♠26 days
		Anirban Phatowali अनिर्बान फाटोवाली (born 2009)	15 October 2019	24 November 2019	7001400000000000000♠40 days
		Nishwan Baidantic निस्वान बैदंतिक (born 2001)	24 November 2019	9 December 2019	7001150000000000000♠15 days
Bifurcated into Ministry of Culture and Media, and Ministry of Information and Public Relations on 9 December 2019.
Ministers of Information and Broadcasting (3 January 2020 – 17 March 2022)
		Bishakha Das बिशाखा दास (born 2013)	3 March 2020	22 March 2020	7001580000000000000♠58 days	Congress	Anoushkaa I	Anoushkaa Patranabish
			22 March 2020	30 April 2020			Tanishkaa VI	Tanishkaa Patranabish
Position vacant (1 May – 13 May 2020)
		Pallavi Rai पल्लवी राय (born 2006) (MoS, I/C)	13 May 2020	7 June 2020	7001250000000000000♠25 days	Congress	Tanishkaa VII	Tanishkaa Patranabish
		Bhargab Jyoti Medhi भार्गब ज्योति मेधी (born 2001)	8 June 2020	7 June 2020	7000900000000000000♠9 days		Anoushkaa II	Princess Anoushkaa
		His Royal Highness Prince Saikat युवराजकुमार सैकत (born 2006)	17 June 2020	28 January 2021	7002225000000000000♠225 days
		His Royal Highness Prince Manoj युवराजकुमार मनोज (born 2005)	28 January 2021	1 March 2021	7001320000000000000♠32 days		Ștefan I	Ștefan Marius Snagoveanu
		Ștefan Marius Snagoveanu, 1st Duke of Entrosinhos स्टीफन मारियस स्नागोवीनु (born 2004) (Prime Minister)	6 March 2021	9 September 2021	7002248000000000000♠248 days		Ștefan II
		Jayden Dagsa, 1st Duke of Karad जायदेन डगसा (born 2008) (MoS, I/C)	11 September 2021	21 October 2021	7001400000000000000♠40 days		Farhaz I	Farhaz Hazarika
		Matthew Griffin 1st Count of Essex मैथ्यू ग्रिफिन (born 2003)	21 October 2021	22 November 2021	7001320000000000000♠32 days	Independent	Phillip	Phillip Joseph Pillin
		Jayden Dagsa, 1st Duke of Karad जायदेन डगसा (born 2008)	22 November 2021	22 December 2021	7001300000000000000♠30 days	Congress	Farhaz II	Farhaz Hazarika
		Michal Nowacki, 1st Duke of Stettin मीकल नोवाकी (born 2003) (Additional charge)	22 December 2021	3 January 2022	7001120000000000000♠12 days
		Thomas Bainbridge, 1st Baron Bainbridge थॉमस बैनब्रिज (born 1994)	3 January 2022	17 March 2022	7001730000000000000♠73 days
Ministry merged to form the Ministry of Education, Culture and Youth on 17 March 2022.
Ministers of Information and Broadcasting (12 November 2022 – present)
		Johannes Mattias Toome जोहान्स मटियास टूम (born 2006)	12 November 2022	18 March 2023	7002126000000000000♠126 days	Congress	Farhaz IV	Farhaz Hazarika
		Tan Sri Devin Purcell, Baron Purcell डेविन परसेल (born 2006)	18 March 2023	14 May 2023	7001570000000000000♠57 days	Independent
		Tan Sri Dato Utama Rafe Burfield, Count Burfield राफे बरफ़ील्ड (born 2005) (Additional charge)	14 May 2023	Incumbent	7002193000000000000♠193 days	Congress

Ministers of State

Portrait		Minister (Birth-Death)	Term of office			Political party	Ministry	Prime Minister	Cabinet Minister
			From	To	Period
Ministers of State of Information and Broadcasting (10 July 2016 – 9 December 2019)
		Bishakha Das बिशाखा दास (born 2013)	10 July 2016	2 October 2016	7001840000000000000♠84 days	Secular Party	Dhrubajyoti III	Dhrubajyoti Roy		Dhrubajyoti Roy
		Arpan Deka अर्पण डेका (born 2008)	3 October 2016	30 December 2016	7001880000000000000♠88 days					Asmi Patranabis
		Abhirup Patranabis अभिरूप पत्रनबिस (born 2012)	30 December 2016	12 April 2017	7002103000000000000♠103 days		Dhrubajyoti IV			Bhargab Jyoti Medhi MoS (I/c)
										Asmi Patranabis
		Manoj Chetry मनोज छेत्री (born 2005)	12 April 2017	5 July 2017	7001840000000000000♠84 days	Independent Party	Sarala III	Sarala Baishya		Sarala Baishya
		Arpan Deka अर्पण डेका (born 2008)	5 July 2017	25 December 2017	7002173000000000000♠173 days	Secular Party	Tanishkaa II	Tanishkaa Patranabish		Anirban Phatowali
										Bishnu Chetry
		Jemina Hazarika जेमिना हज़ारिका (born 2006)	25 December 2017	21 March 2017	7001860000000000000♠86 days	Independent Party	Dhrubajyoti V	Dhrubajyoti Roy		Arnab Sil
Position vacant (21 March 2018–7 January 2019)
		Rajia Hazarika रजिया हज़ारिका (born 2009)	7 January 2019	13 March 2019	7001650000000000000♠65 days	Congress	Tanishkaa IV	Tanishkaa Patranabish		Anirban Phatowali
										Bhargab Jyoti Medhi
Position vacant (13 March–17 March 2019)
		Debika Deka Pator Sarma देबिका डेका पाटोर शर्मा (born 2007)	17 March 2019	16 July 2019	7002121000000000000♠121 days	Congress	Tanishkaa V	Tanishkaa Patranabish		Anirban Phatowali
										Saikat Seal (Addl. Charge)
										Anirban Phatowali
										Manoj Chetry (Addl. Charge)
										Anirban Phatowali
										Manoj Chetry
		Tusharjit Deka तुषारजीत डेका (born 2006)	16 July 2019	2 September 2019	7001480000000000000♠48 days					Saikat Seal
Minister of State (Independent Charge) was responsible (2 September – 29 September 2019)
		Pranjit Kalita प्राणजीत कलिता (born 2005)	29 September 2019	16 November 2019	7001480000000000000♠48 days	Congress	Tanishkaa V	Tanishkaa Patranabish		Nishwan Baidantic
										Anirban Phatowali
		Arpan Deka अर्पण डेका (born 2008)	16 November 2019	24 November 2019	7000800000000000000♠8 days
Position vacant (24 November 2019–8 June 2020)
		His Serene Highness Prince Abhirup राजकुमार अभिरूप (born 2012)	8 June 2020	17 June 2020	7000900000000000000♠9 days	Congress	Anoushkaa II	Princess Anoushkaa		Bhargab Jyoti Medhi
Position vacant (17 June 2020–6 March 2021)
		Ezri Ambriz एज़्री अम्ब्रीज़ (born 2006)	6 March 2021	10 July 2021	7002189000000000000♠189 days	Congress	Ștefan II	Ștefan Marius Snagoveanu		Ștefan Marius Snagoveanu
		Jayden Dagsa, 1st Duke of Karad जायदेन डगसा (born 2008)	10 July 2021	9 September 2021	7001610000000000000♠61 days
Position vacant (9 September 2021–3 January 2022)
		Tyler Mullins, 1st Count of Mullins टायलर मुलिंस (born 1998)	3 January 2022	9 February 2022	7001370000000000000♠37 days	Congress	Farhaz II	Farhaz Hazarika		Thomas Bainbridge
Position vacant (9 February 2022–present)

See also

• Union government ministries of Vishwamitra