New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) The government Tuesday said the constitution of the National Commission on Libraries as recommended by the National Knowledge Commission is not necessary at this stage.
Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, union Culture Minister Kumari Selja said: ‘Digitisation and networking would enhance public access to the libraries and a national commission of libraries is not necessary.’
The minister said the Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation in Kolkata could function as a coordinating body for promotion of libraries and strengthening of the foundation may be undertaken at a later stage.
She said a group consisting of representatives from the department of higher education, ministry of panchayati raj, department of school education and literacy and ministry of culture may prepare an action plan on what can be done in the next couple of years for promotion of libraries.
‘The proposal for a National Commission on Libraries can be considered as part of the deliberations of the 12th Five Year Plan working group,’ Kumari Selja said.
In reply to another query, the minister said that no decision has been taken to set up a central library service.
She said libraries under the central government may be put under six categories based on the collection size and other variables such as budget and acquisition.
