Non compliance: 914 government-aided libraries to shut down

Readers who use public libraries in the state may be in for a rude shock with the Maharashtra government planning to shut down 914 government-aided libraries for flouting rules.

The state government had recently commissioned a survey of government-aided public libraries across the state.

We found gross violations at nearly 914 libraries,which we will shut down. The violations include running the library only on paper without adequate facilities for patrons in spite of getting state grants, Minister for Higher and Technical Education Rajesh Tope said.

The state has 12,500 government-funded public libraries for which the state earmarks a grant of Rs 60 crore.

The state had decided to inspect the libraries last year. Public libraries are recognized and are given grant-in-aid by the Directorate of Libraries under the Maharashtra Public Libraries (Recognition for Grant-in-Aid and Building and Equipment Grants) Rules,1970. They are grouped into four categories based on number of books and periodicals as well as facilities available for readers.

The survey found 5,784 libraries meeting most requirements and 5,877 libraries were found violating rules but they had been given three months to rectify matters.

As many as 914 of them,however,did not comply.

Tope said the government was also planning to increase allocation by 50 per cent to increase the grants to Rs 90 crore.

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We will save around Rs 6-7 crore by shutting down these libraries. This money can be used to improve others, Tope said.

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