Libraries to focus neo-literates

New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI) All the libraries in the country will have a special corner with a few racks of books meant specially for neo-literates whose number has swelled to an estimated 400 million under the high-voltage literacy campaign across the country.

''Neo-literate corners'' will be put in place in all the libraries in stages during the Eleventh Five Year Plan period.

A decision to this effect was taken yesterday at the first meeting of the reconstituted Managing Committee of the Rajaram Mohan Rai Library Foundation under the Ministry of Culture.

The meeting, chaired by Culture Secretary Badal K Das, also decided to promote traditional knowledge and take necessary steps to upgrade 36,000-odd rural libraries across the country.

''The plan is to convert rural libraries into Knowledge centres in stages,'' Culture Ministry sources told UNI, adding that ''in the first phase, rural libraries would be upgraded at the rate of one in each block area.'' The meeting decided to observe seven days as a ''Reading Week'' every year in association with all educational institutions, NGOs, publishing houses and the media. The theme of the week would be ''Read and Grow.'' During the week, book exhibitions, seminars and quiz competitions would be organised.

The meeting was attended by Mr K Jayakumar, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Prof Venkatasubbiah, Mr H S Sivaprasad, Mr Palode Ravi (former Kerala MLA), Nirupama Varjohain, Mr J V Naik, Ms Kalpanadas Gupta, Mr Alok Mehta (Journalist), Dr Mihir Bhattacharya, Mr Pradeep Bhattacharya, Dr Harsha Pareikh, Mr M Shankar Reddy and Mr Imtiaz Ahmed.

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