Lok Sabha Question No. 3009 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-15
Subject: Condition of Historic Libraries
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Bhola Singh, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Nisith Pramanik, Sarmistha Sethi, Sukanta Majumdar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3009 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2021

## CONDITION OF HISTORIC LIBRARIES

## 3009.  SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BAAIYA):

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRI NISITH PRAMANIK:

SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the historic libraries of the country are suffering from and in a pathetic condition and if so, the Government's reaction thereto;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  proposing  to  create  an  All  India  Library  Services Cadre for common service conditions and pay scales in libraries across country and if so, details thereof;
- (c) whether the most of the important and historic libraries of the country are now headed by the non library professionals and if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  any  roadmap  for  development  of  Public  Library System and allocate separate funds in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  details  of  man  power  shortage  in  public  libraries  in  the  country,  State-wise and the steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CULTURE AND TOURISM

## (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

## ANSWER

- (a) Sir,  as  per  Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Constitution  of  India,  Library  is  a  state subject and  comes  under  the  purview  of  the  respective  State/Union  Territory authorities.

However  Raja  Rammohun  Roy  Library  Foundation  (RRRLF),  Kolkata,  a  nodal agency  of  Central  Government  for  promoting  and  supporting  Public  Library movement,  provides  under  its  matching  and  non-matching  schemes  financial assistance  for  development  of  public  libraries  for  various  purposes  eg.  Books, furniture  &  equipments,  modernization,  construction  of  library  buildings,  mobile library  services,  establishment  of  children  corner,  facilities  for  specially-abled readers, seminars/workshops etc.

- (b) No such proposal is under consideration in this Ministry.
- (c) Library is a State subject and it comes under the purview of the State/UT Library Authorities.   There  are  six  libraries  under  administrative  control  of  Ministry  of Culture namely:
- i. National Library
- ii. Central Secretariat Library
- iii. Central Reference Library
- iv. Delhi Public Library
- v. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library
- vi. Rampur Raza Library

As per Recruitment Rules, all the aforesaid Libraries were earlier headed by the Library  Professionals.  Presently  the  Posts  of  Heads  of  National  Library,  Delhi Public Library, Rampur Raza Library, Central Secretariat Library are vacant. For running  their  day  to  day  activities,  additional  charge  was  given  to  JS(Lib)  in respect of National Library, Kolkata (upto 06.03.2021),  Delhi Public Library(upto 08.12.2020),  to DM, Rampur in respect of Rampur Raza Library  and  to Director (Lib)in respect of Central Secretariat Library till regular appointment is made.

- (d) RRRLF, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture with the active co-operation of the State Library Authorities is providing financial assistance for improvement  of  Public  Library  Services  through  implementation  of  various Matching and Non-Matching Schemes.

National  Mission  on  Libraries  (NML)  under  its  NML  Model  Library  scheme provides financial assistance to one (1) State Central Library and one (1) District Library  in  each  State/UT  as  recommended  by  the  respective  State/UT  Library Authority.  Six  (6)  libraries  under  the  Ministry  of  Culture  are  also  eligible  for assistance under this scheme.

- (e) Library  is  a  State  subject  and  man  power  shortage  in  public  libraries  in  the country comes under the purview of the State/UT Library Authorities.  Accordingly,  the  steps  taken  to  meet  shortage  of  man  power  in public libraries in the country do not come under the purview of this Ministry.