Lok Sabha Question No. 1703 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-31
Subject: Modernisation and Infrastructural Development of Central Libraries
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Gomati Sai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†1703

TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2023

## MODERNISATION AND INFRASRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF CENTRAL LIBRARIES

## †1703 SHRIMATI GOMATI SAI:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number  of  Central  Libraries  across the country especially in Raigarh Parliamentary constituency of Chhattisgarh;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  prepared  any  plan  for  modernization  and infrastructural development of Central Libraries during the present digital era;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the  new  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  introduce  new  innovative technologies in all libraries to deal with the emerging challenges arising out of the use of services / products like Google, Wiki, Quora, social media and eresources etc.; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) Library is a State subject as per the Seventh Schedule of Constitution of India and Public Libraries function under the administrative control of the respective State /  Union  Territory  Authority.  Only  the  following  7  Libraries  are  functioning  under Ministry of Culture:-
- i. National Library, Kolkata
- ii. Central Reference Library, Kolkata
- iii. Central Secretariat Library, New Delhi
- iv.  Rampur Raza Library, Rampur, U. P.
- v. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna, Bihar
- vi. Delhi Public Library, Delhi
- vii.  Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata

There  is  no  library  under  this  Ministry  in  Raigarh  Parliamentary  Constituency  of Chhattisgarh.

(b)  to  (e)  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 for modernization and infrastructure development.

Also, the Indian Culture Portal (ICP) has been developed by Ministry of Culture in collaboration  with  IIT  Bombay  under  National  Virtual  Library  of  India  (NVLI) component  of  its  Scheme  'National  Mission  on  Libraries'.  The  Portal  was launched on 10.12.2019 by the then Hon'ble Culture Minister. ICP hosts data from all Organisations under Ministry of Culture and has digital as well as bibliographical  data  which  people  from  all  walks  of  life  can  refer  to  depending upon their requirement. The Digital data available on ICP includes E-Books, RareBooks, Audio-Visual Content, Images, Archival Documents, Stories, Snippets etc. along with relevant metadata which are accessible to public including students, researchers,  artists,  divyang  persons  and  common  man.  For  visually impaired, high contrast view functionality has been embedded along with facility to increase or decrease font size. The Indian Culture Portal is bilingual for ease of understanding.

Also,  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.