MP has lowest number of public libraries, reveals RTI query
Bhopal: If you are a lover of books, then Madhya Pradesh is certainly not the place that would suit your dreams! Shockingly, there is only one library for every 17 lakh people in the state. The national figure is way better with one library for every 30,000 people. This data was revealed in an RTI query.
The year-on-year investment by the government on these libraries remained low and it has even decreased.
Replying to a query by Neemuch-based RTI activist Chandrashekhar Gaur, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF) — a nodal agency of the Union government, under the ministry culture, which works to support public library services and systems and promote book reading movement, said, “As per the information provided by the states and Union territories, there are only 46,746 public libraries in all over the country”.
On an average, it roughly comes out to one library for every 30,000 people in the country.
With nearly 12,191 or nearly 25% of the public libraries in the country, Maharashtra tops the list, followed by Kerala, which has 8,415 public libraries followed by Karnataka with 6,798 public libraries.
When it comes to Madhya Pradesh, the state has only 42 public libraries, and fares the worst with states like Bihar having 192 public libraries, Rajasthan has 323 public libraries and even small states such as Goa and Uttarakhand have 136 and 47 public libraries respectively, which is way more than the state.
Statistically speaking, there is only one library for every 17 lakh people in MP and there are at least 10 districts in the state which do not have any library, since there are 52 districts in the state, but the number of public libraries remain at 42.
“The state government should take the issue of building new public libraries on a priority basis. There should be public libraries even at the tehsil level. Specially in cities such as Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior — where students come from all over the state for attending coaching classes, the government should open more public libraries,” RTI activist Gaur told TOI.
“The state government should seek funds from the Union government to establish a central library in the state. Despite being such a big state, it is a shame that MP does not have a central,” Gaur added.
On an average, it roughly comes out to one library for every 30,000 people in the country.
With nearly 12,191 or nearly 25% of the public libraries in the country, Maharashtra tops the list, followed by Kerala, which has 8,415 public libraries followed by Karnataka with 6,798 public libraries.
When it comes to Madhya Pradesh, the state has only 42 public libraries, and fares the worst with states like Bihar having 192 public libraries, Rajasthan has 323 public libraries and even small states such as Goa and Uttarakhand have 136 and 47 public libraries respectively, which is way more than the state.
Statistically speaking, there is only one library for every 17 lakh people in MP and there are at least 10 districts in the state which do not have any library, since there are 52 districts in the state, but the number of public libraries remain at 42.
“The state government should take the issue of building new public libraries on a priority basis. There should be public libraries even at the tehsil level. Specially in cities such as Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior — where students come from all over the state for attending coaching classes, the government should open more public libraries,” RTI activist Gaur told TOI.
“The state government should seek funds from the Union government to establish a central library in the state. Despite being such a big state, it is a shame that MP does not have a central,” Gaur added.
Link | https://thewire.in/government/in-madhya-pradesh-there-is-one-public-library-per-17-lakh-people
Regards
Mr. Pralhad Jadhav
Master of Library & Information Science (NET Qualified)
Research Scholar (IGNOU)
Senior Manager @ Knowledge Repository
Khaitan & Co
Twitter Handle | @Pralhad161978
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