Centre to Establish 12 'Soochna Bhavans' in State Capitals

In a significant infrastructure initiative, the Central Government will establish Soochna Bhavans in 12 state capitals, marking one of its most substantial efforts to strengthen engagement with regional media.

Spearheaded by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B), the project envisions multi-functional complexes modeled after Delhi’s National Media Centre, bringing together key media and communication arms—such as the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), Publications Division, and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)—under one roof.

The first phase will cover Lucknow, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Each Soochna Bhavan will be built at an estimated cost of ₹40 crore, totaling approximately ₹480 crore for the phase.

Designed as state-of-the-art facilities, the buildings will feature auditoriums, media workstations, e-libraries, VIP lounges, crèches, and gyms, along with green infrastructure including solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and waste management systems. The centres will also incorporate modern IT infrastructure, spaces for press conferences, cultural events, and dedicated amenities for journalists, aiming to enhance both media outreach and public information dissemination at the state level.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.