BHUBANESWAR: A Directorate dedicated to public libraries will soon be set up in the state. This Directorate will bring all the public libraries under one umbrella and look into their operation and development. This was informed by Culture Director Dilip Routrai during a recent panel discussion on ‘Odisha Public Library Vision 2024: 5T Spirit for Accelerating Modern Public Library Infrastructure Development’, organized virtually by the Odisha Society of the Americas during its 54th annual convention.
The Culture director informed that work on the directorate has already started and the Cabinet approval is pending. He added that OSA supported model libraries in rural areas of Kulida panchayat in Balasore and Baghada panchayat in Mayurbhanj will soon be made operational and the staff requirement will be met by the Culture department.
Speaking on the occasion, Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Amat said sarpanchs of all panchayats have funds to establish public libraries in every panchayat. Currently, libraries at panchayat level are being established in Boudh district, he informed. Issues like fast tracking implementation of Odisha Public Library Act, government’s 2018 circular on setting up of one panchayat-level library-cum-edutainment centre, public library automation, CM dashboard on functioning of public libraries and creation of a Mo Library programme, among other things, were discussed. The OSA members had submitted a memorandum on the issues to chief minister.