July 17, 2014 admin

Pass ‘Shabad Parkash Punjab Public Library and Information Services Bill ’ in the current budget session: Gumtala

Amritsar, 17 July 2014 (Bharatsandesh News Bureau): Dr. Charanjit Singh Gumtala , Press secretary, Punjabi Writers Co-operative Society Ltd, Ludhiana/Amritsar has demanded that ‘Shabad Parkash Punjab Public Library and Information Services Bill’ be passed in the current budget session. In a letter to Chief Minister S Parkash Singh Badal, Gumtala stated that about 3 years back on 10 October 2011, then Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan issued a statement that an ordinance will be passed by the state government to put the Bill into effect before the enforcement of the election code, but nothing has been done. It shows Punjab Government is not serious to open library in every village like other states. Tamil Nadu state passed this act in 1948, even Haryana state passed this act in 1989.

At that time Mr Sekhwan stated that in an effort to revive people’s reading habits, the Punjab Government plans to set up 12,603 public libraries in almost all villages of the state. These libraries will be established in a phased manner. A committee headed by him(Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan )has approved the “Shabad Parkash Punjab Public Library and Information Services Bill: 2011.” He then further stated that the government planned to set up a state central library, 22 district libraries, 141 block-level libraries, 157 town libraries and 12, 282 village libraries and project will take 10 years to complete. Neither bill has been passed by Punjab assembly nor ordinance has been issued.

At present, Punjab has a state library and 14 district libraries. Barnala, Ludhiana, Moga, Muktsar, Nawanshahr, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, and Pathankot districts will also have their district libraries.

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