chap2 | Central Bureau of Communication

CHAPTER II - (Manual-1) Back Print

PARTICULARS OF ORGANIZATION, FUNCTIONS & DUTIES
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, is the nodal multi-media advertising agency of the Government. It caters to the communication needs of Ministries/Departments including Public Sector Undertakings and Autonomous Bodies under them and provides single window cost effective service.

The CBC informs and educates people, rural and urban, about the policies, programmes, messages and achievements of the Government and helps in motivating them. It reaches people utilizing modern & traditional means of communication such as press advertisements, audio-visual media, printed material, outdoor formats, exhibitions and mass mailing. CBC has the expertise to handle campaigns on all India basis with integrated media approach utilizing various means of communication for coordinated & focused campaign.

AIMS &OBJECTIVES OF CBC
  • To inform and educate people about the policies, programmes and achievements of the Government of India though multi-media publicity.
  • To secure wide and cost effective possible dissemination of messages.
  • To provide quality service to client Ministries/Departments.
  • To ensure smooth, transparent and satisfactory relationship with client newspapers/agencies.
  • To maintain fairness and balance in release of advertisements among newspapers/agencies, keeping in view the message, the target, resources, client's requirement etc.
  • To keep pace with technology for better, faster and more effective dissemination.
VISION STATEMENT OF CBC

The Directorate Of Advertising & Visual Publicity aims at effective dissemination of government's policies, programmes, messages & achievements by multi media publicity. It employs modern as well as traditional means of publicity in a creative and cost-effective manner to reach every nook & corner of the country to motivate people, and acts as an agent for social change.

BRIEF HISTORY OF CBC

The origin of CBC can be traced to World War-II. Immediately after the outbreak of Second World War, the erstwhile government of India appointed a Chief Press Advisor and besides other things, advertising was also his responsibility. In June 1941 the post of Advertising Consultant was created under the Chief Press Advisor. On March 1, 1942, the Advertising Consultant Office became the Advertising Branch of the Department of Information & Broadcasting.Following expansion in its scope, functions and activities, this Advertising Branch was declared an Attached Office of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on October 1, 1955. The office was named the Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (CBC). DG/Director, CBC was declared as Head of Department on April 4, 1959. By virtue of this declaration, financial and administrative powers were delegated to CBC.

FUNCTIONS &DUTIES OF CBC
  • To function as the nodal multi-media advertising agency of the Ministries/Departments including Central Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) / Autonomous Bodies (ABs) and help them formulate  communication strategies/media plans besides providing support to meet their publicity requirements.
  • To publicise policies, programmes and achievements of the Government.
  • Empanelment of newspapers/journals for release of government advertisements and entering into rate contract with them.
  • Convening of Panel Advisory Committee meetings for empanelment of publications.
  • Convening of Rate Structure Committee meetings from time to time for review of the Rate Structure Formula.
  • Planning, visualization and preparation of designs / artwork for press advertisements.
  • Release of classified/display advertisements.
  • Empanelment of printers/diary makers for undertaking printing jobs.
  • Planning, designing, production and distribution of printed materials viz.posters, booklets, folders, diaries, calendars, wall hangings etc. in English,Hindi and regional languages.
  • Empanelment of outdoor publicity agencies.
  • Production and publicity through display of outdoor formats such as animation displays, cinema slides, kiosks, hoardings, wall paintings,bus/train panels, bus queue-shelters etc.
  • Planning, fabrication and organizing of exhibitions.
  • Empanelment of audio &video producers for assigning audio/video production jobs.
  • Planning, production and broadcast/telecast of Audio-Video spots/programmes.
  • Entering into rate contract with radio/TV channels for broadcast /telecast of Radio/TV spots/programmes.
  • Making payment to newspapers, producers, printers etc out of own funds or from funds of client Ministries/Departments.
  • Administrative & personnel management of officers/employees besides vigilance, budget & account matters pertaining to CBC.
SERVICES PROVIDED BY CBC
  • Advise Central Ministries/Departments on publicity matters.
  • Formulation of the media plan/strategy for Client Ministries/Departments including Public Sector Undertakings/Autonomous Bodies.
  • Designing/production/release of publicity material.
  • Multimedia publicity through press advertisements, printed material,outdoor formats, exhibitions and audio-video spots.
  • Distribution of publicity material.
EXPECTATION FROM THE PUBLIC
  • People would be better informed of the Government policies and programmes.
  • Publicity efforts would lead to socially useful and productive practices for development and harmony.
  • Provide feedback for improvement of publicity campaigns.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR SEEKING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Information on arrangements available with CBC for consultation/public participation is given in Chapter V.

MONITORING MECHANISM FOR SERVICE DELIVERY AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES

The Directorate has formulated and operationalized Citizens' Charter setting time norms and standard for service delivery besides setting up a Public Grievance Redress Mechanism. The Directorate has nominated a senior officer,Sh. S.P. Das, Joint Director as the nodal officer for implementation and monitoring of Citizens' Charter who has also been designated the Public Grievance Officer at the Directorate level. The nodal officer of the Citizens'Charter is responsible for implementation and monitoring of the norms/standards of service delivery. The Charter will be reviewed after every two years based on monitoring reports/feedback etc.

SETUP OF CBC AT HEADQUARTERS

In order to perform its functions and accomplish its objectives the Directorate has at headquarters in New Delhi several wings like Campaign, Advertising, Outdoor Publicity, Printed Publicity, Exhibitions, Copy & Languages,Mass Mailing, Audio Visual Cell, Data Processing Centre and a Design Studio with DTP facility besides Administration, Vigilance &Finance Wings. The Headquarters is located at Soochna Bhawan, Phase IV, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 3 and B-Block Barracks, K.G.Marg, New Delhi - 1.

SETUP OUTSIDE HEADQUARTERS

CBC has a network of offices spread all over the country. It has two regional offices at Bangalore and Guwahati to coordinate the Directorate's activities in the southern and eastern regions respectively besides two Regional Distribution Centres at Kolkata and Chennai to look after distribution of publicity material in these regions. The Directorate has also a network of 35 Field Exhibition Units with Regional Exhibition Workshop at Chennai and Exhibition Kit Production Centre at Guwahati. The addresses of the Regional/Field Offices are given in Chapter X of this handbook.

OFFICE HOURS (FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY)

Office Hours: 9.30 AM to 6.00 PM
Lunch Break: 1.30 PM to 2.00 PM