Kapil Sibal Moots Neighborhood Book Policy

Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Kapil Sibal has mooted that there be a neighborhood book policy in the country.

According to Sibal, the aim should be that in the manner of neighborhood schools, there should be neighborhood libraries and reading rooms. He gave this suggestion to the Task Force that has prepared the Draft National Book Promotion Policy while speaking at a Round Table held to discuss the policy, here today.

He added that “the model of libraries/reading rooms being followed in Tamil Nadu (pointed out and praised by some members of the round table) could be looked at by the Task Force to be incorporated in their report. He also said that state governments would have to be involved for this.”

He also asked the Task Force to take a fresh look at the publishing of school text books and whether greater private sector involvement could be looked at here.

He also pointed out to the publishing industry that a huge opportunity awaits them in the publishing of e-books, especially for children’s books that can be illustrated. He further added that the vast scope of translations of books in India from one language to the other.

Underlining the need of a policy framework to reach out to potential authors, especially in small places, who find it very difficult to find publishers, the minister asked the Task Force that an idea that could be looked at was the setting up of a national level website, connected to the states and to the districts, so that those who seek to author books can reach out to a committee/committees consisting of government and non-government members.

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