The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting convened a National Conference of Secretaries of Information and Public Relations Departments from States and Union Territories in New Delhi, bringing senior officials together to strengthen Centre-State cooperation across media, broadcasting, public communication and India’s rapidly expanding creative economy.
Creative Economy Emerges as a National Growth Engine
Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Chanchal Kumar, chaired the conference and held detailed discussions with representatives from States and Union Territories. He highlighted the Prime Minister’s vision of placing India’s soft power and creative economy within the Saptdhara, the seven streams of national progress.
Shri Kumar stressed that India’s creative economy can become a powerful engine for employment generation, investment, innovation and international influence. He called for structured cooperation between the Centre and States to unlock the country’s extensive cultural and creative potential.
According to the Secretary, the creative economy brings together culture, creativity and commerce, creating opportunities that extend beyond traditional media and entertainment. He emphasised that India’s diverse cultural heritage and growing pool of creative talent provide a strong foundation for developing globally competitive creative industries.
States Urged to Build Region-Specific Creative Ecosystems
The Secretary underlined that the development of the creative economy cannot follow a uniform national model. Each State and Union Territory has distinct cultural traditions, talent pools, institutions and economic strengths that must be incorporated into its development strategy.
He called for greater attention to infrastructure development, ease of doing business, skill and capacity building, regional content creation and the establishment of strong local creative ecosystems.
National initiatives and platforms such as WAVES 2027, WAVES Bazaar, WaveX and the Create in India Challenges were highlighted as important avenues through which creators, entrepreneurs and start-ups from different parts of the country could gain access to investors, markets, technology and international partnerships.
WAVES 2027 and Market Access Take Centre Stage
A major part of the conference focused on preparations for WAVES 2027 and ways to expand market opportunities through WAVES Bazaar. Participants discussed how these platforms could connect regional creators and emerging businesses with national and international audiences.
The conference also examined measures to promote user-generated creative content on the Waves OTT platform and strengthen the wider ecosystem supporting India’s media and entertainment industries.
Officials discussed the integration of the Indian Cine Hub and Film Facilitation Office portals, along with the adoption of the single-window Indian Cine Hub system for film shooting and live-event permissions. The move is aimed at simplifying approval procedures and creating a more efficient environment for filmmakers and event organisers.
Stronger Public Broadcasting and Regional Outreach
Public Service Broadcasting was another key area of discussion. The conference considered content co-production, State-specific programming and stronger public outreach as ways to make broadcasting more relevant to regional audiences.
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The Ministry also called for closer coordination among PIB Regional Offices, State Information and Public Relations Departments, and regional units of Doordarshan and Akashvani. Such coordination, officials noted, can help create more State-specific content and improve communication with citizens.
The expansion of Public Service Broadcasting infrastructure was also discussed as part of efforts to strengthen public communication across the country.
Capacity Building and Digital Transformation
The participating officials highlighted the importance of developing stronger institutional capabilities at the State level. Capacity-building programmes for DIPR officers through the facilities of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication were discussed as a potential avenue for improving professional skills.
The conference also reviewed the transition to the digital framework under the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, through the Press Sewa Portal. The initiative forms part of the broader digital transformation of India’s media and publication ecosystem.
Strengthening libraries through the provision of books to State Governments under the Samagra Shiksha framework was another issue discussed during the deliberations.
States Seek Greater Centre-State Engagement
Representatives of States and Union Territories shared their experiences, implementation challenges and suggestions regarding various initiatives of the Ministry. They sought greater support through regular engagement, communication and capacity-building programmes.
The officials also expressed their willingness to participate more actively in initiatives aimed at strengthening the Orange Economy, while seeking closer coordination with the Centre.
The conference additionally discussed implementation of the Right of Way mechanism for cable operators by State Governments, promotion of the live-events sector and broader public outreach initiatives.
Centre Opens Door for New Partnerships
Concluding the deliberations, Shri Chanchal Kumar emphasised that the Ministry remains receptive to innovative ideas, State-led programmes and new partnership models.
The conference reflected a shared commitment to building stronger coordination between the Centre and States while creating an environment in which India’s regional talent, cultural diversity and creative industries can contribute to economic growth and global influence.
With initiatives spanning broadcasting, film, digital media, live events, regional content and creative entrepreneurship, the Centre-State dialogue is expected to play an important role in shaping India’s emerging creative economy and strengthening public communication nationwide.
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