The Central Information Office (CIO) had been under the wing of the Chief secretary since January 1959. The Ministry of Information, Posts and Telegraphs and Telecommunications was set up in February 1962, and in February 1966 integrated the former CIO to make it operate as a division of the Ministry.

The 1967 Cabinet reshuffle divided the Ministry of Information, Posts and Telegraphs and Telecommunications into two separate ministries i.e. the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Ministry of Communications(also taking charge of Posts, Telegraphs and Telecommunications)

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting became the Ministry of Information and Cooperatives following the appointment of a new Cabinet in June 1982. In August 1983, it was again split into two separate Ministries, namely the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Cooperatives.

In 1996, the Ministry of Information was abolished in the wake of reforms in the civil service and in its place a Government Information Service was set up.

The Government Information Service operates as a department within the Prime Minister’s Office.