Libraries to be opened in all GPs in K'taka

Udupi, Nov 25 (UNI) The Karnataka Government has decided to open public libraries in all 2,463 gram panchayats in the State during the ongoing 'Suvarna Karnataka' celebrations to provide rural people with accessibility to books, Medical Education and district incharge Minister Dr V S Acharya said today.

Symbolically inaugurating 97 gram panchayat libraries at Kadekar, near here, he said the Government had provided Rs 50,000 each for setting up gram panchayat libraries. Out of 147 gram panchayats in the district, 50 have public libraries and the rest would be provided with one, he added.

Dr Acharya said that to facilitate rural youths to read books and dailies, the previous NDA Government at the Centre had sanctioned Rs 20 lakh to each district as deposit. The interest accrued from the deposit would be spent for purchashing dailies and magazines.

He said the new district library building, constructed at a cost of Rs 42 lakh, would be ready for inauguration by March 31 next.

UNI MA GD RKN1630