Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (Intelligence Bureau)

The Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (DAVP) is the nodal agency to undertake multi-media advertising and publicity for various Ministries and Departments of Government of India. Some of the Autonomous Bodies also route their advertisements through DAVP. As a service agency, it endeavours to communicate at grass roots level on behalf of various Central Government Ministries.The origin of DAVP can be traced to the times of World War-II. Immediately after the out-break of Second World War, the erstwhile government of India appointed a Chief Press Advisor. Besides other things, advertising was also the responsibility of the Chief Press Advisor. A post of Advertising Consultant was created in June 1941 under the Chief Press Advisor. This is where DAVP has its roots. On March 1, 1942, the Advertising Consultant Office became the Advertising Branch of the Department of Information & Broadcasting. Following the expansion in its scope, functions and activities, this Advertising unit was declared an Attached Office of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on October 1, 1955. The office also assumed the name of Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity(DAVP). DAVP was further declared as Head of a Department on April 4, 1959. By virtue of this declaration, financial and administrative powers were delegated to DAVP.