SAMBALPUR: In a bid to inculcate the habit of reading among rural youth, the district administration is setting up Library and Infotainment Centres in all the 138 gram panchayats of nine blocks. Construction work of these centres has already started in 134 panchayats. Official sources said the work will be completed by July.
Each centre will be developed at a cost of Rs7 lakh. While Rs5 lakh will be spent on construction, Rs2 lakh has been earmarked for provision of other facilities at the centre. The construction work will be carried out under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Other facilities will be provided from funds under the 14th Central Finance Commission and 4th State Finance Commission.
Coordinator of MGNREGS, Sambalpur Sobhit Kumar Bishi said each centre will be developed over an area of 400 square feet. A round desk with seating capacity for 20 persons will be placed inside the library. This apart, the centre will have different types of books, newspapers, magazines, computers, printer, LED TV and internet facility. It will be run and managed by the gram panchayat concerned.
The centre will be opened from 7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 8 pm in the morning and evening respectively. School teachers having Library and Information Science training will function as part-time librarian with additional remuneration at the centre. The district cultural association will provide books for the library. Besides, books will be collected from teachers, writers and intellectuals of the region. NGOs and youth organisations will also be encouraged to donate books. The library will have biographies, autobiographies, books on freedom fighters, scientists and eminent personalities. Bishi said apart from encouraging youths to spend more reading books, the centre will play a pivotal role in disseminating information on various welfare schemes, agriculture and rural marketing.