Evolution of PIB
IB's origin can be traced back to the pre-independence days. It was in June, 1919 that a small cell was created in the Home Department. It was rechristened the Central Bureau of Information under a full-fledged Director. In 1923, it came to be known as the Bureau of Public Information. A study undertaken in 1936 led to the reorganisation of the Bureau into a modern publicity organisation. The designation of the head of the organisation was subsequently changed to Principal Information Officer in 1938. In 1941, the Bureau was placed under the Department of Information and Broadcasting. Press Information Bureau acquired its present name in 1946, and became a department of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting after 1947.
HISTORY OF PIB GUWAHATI
In 1944, PIB Calcutta was started as a small office under the then Department of Home. Opened initially as a liaison office, PIB Calcutta was subsequently upgraded to a Regional Office catering to the State of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Branch Office at Guwahati was established in 1956. It had under its jurisdiction the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, then a Union Territory. With this, the Assamese section at PIB, Calcutta was transferred to Guwahati.
The first person to head the Guwahati branch office was Shri M.N. Borkotoky who held the post of Asstt. Information Officer.
UPGRADATION OF PIB GUWAHATI
In 1989, the existing Branch Offices were regrouped with a set up of Regional Office and Branch Offices. Accordingly, PIB, Guwahati was upgraded to a full-fledged Regional Office with the following Branch Offices and Information Centres (IC) under its jurisdiction:
- PIB, Shillong (Meghalaya)
- PIB-cum-IC, Imphal (Manipur)
- PIB-cum-IC, Kohima (Nagaland)
- PIB I/Centre, Aizawl (Mizoram)
PIB, Guwahati was initially head by an Asstt. Information Officer which was subsequently upgraded to an Information Officer after the upgradation of the post in 1982.The post was further upgraded to Deputy Principal Information Officer. At present, the Additional Director General heads the office.