The Directorate of Information Publicity, erstwhile known as the Directorate of Information Publicity and Tourism, was established in 1956. It was bifurcated in 1986, and the Directorate of Information and Publicity became a separate entity and has assumed significance over the years. The Director, Information and publicity is the Head of office and is assisted by four Assistant Directors in the head-quarters. The Directorate has a branch office at Karaikal, headed by an Assistant Director. He looks after the Public Relations aspects of the District Administration of Karaikal. The Directorate has also posted one Pubic Relations Assistant each at Yanam and Mahe as well, and they work under the respective Regional Administrators.


        The objectives of the Directorate being multi-dimensional, the Directorate has different sections, namely, the Protocol Section, the Press Section, the Publicity Section and the Publication and Exhibition Section. Each section functions under an independent branch officer of the rank of Assistant Director.

• To effectively propagate the ideas, schemes, policies of the Government through the mass media
• To create awareness among people, particularly among rural masses about the welfare measures undertaken by the Government through publicity, publication of periodicals, exhibitions, song and drama embodying folk traditions and multi media campaigns
• To function as a nodal department for release of advertisements of various Government Departments, Undertakings, Corporations
• Honouring renowned leaders by celebrating their birth, and observing their death, anniversaries
• Erection of statues of leaders
• Honouring freedom fighters on the occasion of national celebrations like the Independence and Republic Day
• Conduct of film festivals-- Indian Panorama, French Film Festivals, Children's Film Festivals, etc.
• To establish proper media relations to enable the Government to effectively implement its policies
• To promote better understanding between the Government and the public
• Welfare of media persons working in the Union Territory of Puducherry
• Protocol functions like organizing reception, transport, accommodation, and hospitality for VIPs and State guests visiting the Union Territory
• Organizing solemn occasions like the Independence day, Republic Day and Swearing in ceremonies

• Set out the protocol of the Government to be observed in various ceremonial and other Government functions. The Director of Information Publicity is also the State Protocol Officer.(To see the Table of Precedence in respect of the Govt. of Puducherry, please click here)
• Organizes ceremonial occasions like the Independence Day, Republic day, Swearing- in ceremonies, At-Home function by the Lt. Governor, honouring of freedom fighters by the Chief Minister, etc.
• Maintains mailing list of invitees for Government functions / ceremonious occasions and it is updated twice a year. (Click here to download copy of the invitees list maintained by the Department)
• Provides accommodation, transport, and hospitality to visiting dignitaries/ State guests as governed by a Government order. To provide accommodation to visiting dignitaries, the Directorate manages one State Guest house at Indira Nagar Puducherry
• To meet the transport requirements, the Protocol Section has two AC Sumo vehicles and one AC Qualis. Additional requirements of accommodation and transport are facilitated from Private Agencies.

• To effectively propagate the ideas, schemes, policies of the Government through the mass media
• Organizes Press Meets/ Conferences/Press Releases for the Government
• Arranges media, photographic coverage for the Government functions
• Maintains media list, issues identity cards, accreditation cards to the media persons as per government rules, guidelines.
• Attempts to form the advertisement policy of the Government, issues special advertisements on important occasions as per established practice.
• Publicizes tender notices of all Government departments in Newspapers based on roasters and extent of coverage required.
• Brings out special supplements in Newspapers and magazines on Puducherry and the activities / achievements of the Government.
• During election times, establishes and manages the Media Centre in the Chief Secretariat to ensure smooth information flow to the Media.

• The Press Section formulates and implements welfare measures for the Media Persons as per Government policies
• Processes the applications for grant of financial assistance to Media Persons from Chief Minister's Relief Fund as per the prescribed rules (Click here to download copy of the Rules /Guidelines and application forms).


• Issues Identity Cards to eligible Media Persons: There is no prescribed application form for issue of Media Persons identity cards. One has to approach with a recommendation letter from his/her employer concerned with two stamp size photographs and his contact details/ bio data. If found eligible, the cards are issued within two working days of submission of the application form. The card is valid for one year. Media Persons from Karaikal have to forward their applications through the Asst. Director, Information Publicity, Karaikal and those from Mahe and Yanam through their respective Regional Administrators. The same procedure applies for the renewal of Identity Cards.


• Issue of Medical Identity Cards:As per G.O.Ms.No. 97, dated 31st Dec. 1987 issued by the Health and Welfare Department , the Pressmen are eligible for free medical facilities that will include free treatment in the Government Hospitals/Institutions in the Union Territory of Puducherry with entitlement of 'A' class special wards. In the absence of such special wards, the wards of the next lower categories shall be provided. This free medical facilities will also include hospital stoppages, investigation charges etc.
  
  To avail this free medical facilities by the Press Correspondents, the Director of Information and Publicity, Puducherry shall issue "Identification Card/ Certificates". There is no prescribed application form for issue of Medical Identity Cards. Persons may approach with a formal letter along with copy of the Media Person's Identity Card already issued to them. Media Persons from Karaikal has to route their application through the Branch office of Information Publicity, Karaikal, and those from Mahe and Yanam through their respective Regional Administrators. Processing time: Two working days. The same procedure applies for the renewal of cards.


• Issue of Free Bus Passes to Media Persons of the Union Territory of Puducherry in PRTC buses to undertake professional journey. This scheme envisages issue of Bus Passes to Media Persons to enable them to undertake free travel for professional purposes in all PRTC operated buses except in town buses. The Department shall reimburse the cost of operation of this scheme to the PRTC. The scheme is under notification.(Click here to get copy of Notification of the schemes and application forms).


• Issue of Press Accreditation Cards: The issue of Press Accreditation Cards is governed by a rule, namely, Pondicherry Press Representatives Accreditation Rules, 1984. The applications received (Click here for copy of rules and application forms) are submitted before a Committee (Click here to see the Notification of the Press Accreditation Committee constituted by the Government on19th October 2005), which normally meets once in three months. (Click here to see the list of Accredited Media Persons in Puducherry as on date) Processing time: Four weeks after the scheduled meeting of the committee.


• Scheme for grant of pension benefits to journalists serving in indigent circumstances: The scheme for grant of pension benefit to Journalists -2002, provides grant of Rs 2000/- as monthly pension to an accredited journalist who has put in 20 years of service and completed 58 years of age, and is a resident of the Union Territory of Puducherry for a continuous period of five years. The scheme is now being amended so as to enhance the monthly pension to Rs 4000/-per month and also to grant 50% of the monthly pension to the nominated family member of a deceased journalist.(Click here to download copy of rules for grant of pension benefit to journalist and related application forms.)


• Scheme for providing Ex-Gratia to Media Persons: An amount of Rs 200000/-(two lakhs) is proposed to be paid to the family of a deceased journalist, who has served considerable period of time in the Union Territory of Puducherry. The Scheme is under consideration of the Government.


• Scheme for purchase of professional equipments like Laptop Computer System or Desktop Computer System to journalists: This scheme, which provides for purchase of either Laptop Computer System or Desktop Computer System to a Journalist in the Union Territory of Puducherry at 50% subsidy through PIPDIC is under consideration of the Government.


• Maintains the Press Clubs in Puducherry and Karaikal: The department maintains fully equipped Press Clubs with telephone, fax, cable television, newspapers and periodicals, conference facilities in Puducherry and Karaikal for use of working journalists in the region.

• Disseminates information on policies and programmes and achievements of the Government through exhibitions, the mass media.
• Creates awareness among people, particularly among rural masses about welfare measures of the Government through publicity.
• Publication of speeches of the Lt. Governor and Chief Minister during the Independence day and Republic Day
• Forwards daily Press Clippings to the Lt. Governor, Chief Minister, Ministers and Secretaries in the Government to apprise them of the public feed back on Administration
• Establishes and help running Radio Rural Forums & Community TV viewing centres.
• Distributes Government calendars, Diaries to all Government Offices including Central Government Offices.

• Paying honour to renowned leaders by celebrating their birth and observing their death anniversaries respectively.(Click here to see dates of memorial days of national/regional leaders)


• Organizes French Film Festivals, Children's Film Festivals, and Indian Panorama at Puducherry


• Erects statues of leaders as per policies of the Government.


• Places wreaths at the French War Memorial.


• Maintains State Information Centre cum Reference Libraries at various places in the Union Territory.


• Distributes Publicity Literature, Posters, Slides, Pamphlets, etc. for the Government.


• Highlights developmental programmmes/activities of the Government using video projectors, slide projectors, and screening of films in rural areas.


• Creates awareness on social problems like evils of drinking, AIDS, untouchability, dowry menace, child labour, atrocities on women, abortion of female fetus, etc. through Song and Drama in the line of folk traditions.