Lok Sabha Question No. 1645 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-31
Subject: Action Taken on Report on Functioning of Central Libraries and Information System
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Bhola Singh, Jayanta Kumar Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1645

TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2023

## ACTION TAKEN ON REPORT ON FUNCTIONING OF CENTRAL LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SYSTEM

## 1645 SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA):

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- a)  whether the Ministry has taken any action on the report on "Functioning of Central Libraries in the Country";
- b)  if so, the details thereof along with the status thereon;
- c)  whether the Government has taken any initiative to set up a Committee to draft National Policy on Library and Information System and if so, the details thereof;
- d)  if not, the reasons therefor and the other steps being taken by the Government for development of Library Sector in the country;
- e)  whether implementation of the National Mission on Libraries has been slow; and
- f) if so, the details of current status, component-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION

## (G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a)&(b) Yes Sir. The Action Taken by the Government on the Report on the subject 'Functioning of Central Libraries in the Country' (310 th Report of Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture) (DRPSC) has been presented to the Rajya Sabha and laid on the Table of Lok Sabha on 13.12.2022 as 328 th Report of said DRPSC.

(c) No Sir.

(d) The objective of National Policy on Library and Information System (NAPLIS), as envisaged by the Committee on NAPLIS, formed in 1985 under the chairmanship of Prof.  D.  P.  Chattopadhyaya,  viz  to  foster,  promote  and  sustain  the  organizations, availability and use of information and to take steps for mobilizing and upgrading the existing  Library  and  Information  system  and  services,  taking  advantage  of  the  latest advances of the technology; and training of library & information personnel, have been fulfilled  with  the  implementation  of  National  Mission  on  Libraries  (NML),  especially through National Virtual Library of India (NVLI) component, under which Indian Culture Portal (ICP) was developed and launched. The ICP is available on public domain at https://indianculture.gov.in/.

For  development  of  Library  Sector  in  the  country,  Ministry  of  Culture  through  its National Mission on Libraries (NML) Scheme, under 'Setting up of NML Model Library' component,  provides  financial  assistance  to  1  State  Central  Library  and  1  District Library  in  each  State  /  UT,  as  per  the  recommendation  of  the  State  Authority concerned,  and  6  libraries  identified  by  Ministry  of  Culture,  for  modernization  and infrastructure development.

Besides,  Raja  Rammohun  Roy  Library  Foundation  (RRRLF),  an  Autonomous  Body under Ministry of Culture,  through  its  matching  and  non-matching  schemes provides financial  assistance  to  public  Libraries  for  various  purposes  e.g.  construction  / renovation of library buildings, up-gradation of infrastructure with furniture  and equipment, modernization, procurement of books and reading resources, organization of  seminar  /  training  and  capacity  building  of  library  professionals  /  workshop  / outreach programmes, establishment of children corner, opening of various sections, creating facilities for specially-abled, brail corner etc.

(e) & (f) No Sir.