Venkatapaiah unhappy over functioning of libraries

Tirupati, Nov 8 (UNI) Noted scholar and Raja Rammohan Roy Foundation member Velaga Venkatapaiah today expressed his displeasure over the present functioning of libraries in Andhra Pradesh.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Venkatapaiah alleged that out of 1,600 libraries in the State, about 300 were closed and the remaining were in bad condition. As against West Bengal Government's Rs 60 crore on its own, Andhra Pradesh, was spending Rs 30 crore annually, after collecting library cess amount from the public, he added.

The 75-year-old Venkatapaiah called for district level library committees for the development of the library system in the state.

He remarked that present quality of books were low.

While celebrating library annual functions he said as per the Library Act each library should be established at 25,000 population segment. But the State Government failed in maintaining it, he alleged.

He said, no basic infrastructure was developed at any library except in urban areas.

UNI KNR GKT 2100