Libraries in villages, mohallas and schools across Punjab: Inculcating reading habits

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Last Updated: 19 April 2025

Target:
-- Up to 6 Mohalla libraries in each assembly constituency[1]
-- Govt School Libraries
-- Top class District Libraries

Mohalla libraries: Total 114 rural libraries are functional across Punjab, and 179 more are under construction[2]

District Libraries[3]have been renovated through a separate project
e.g. Sangrur District Library renovated at cost of Rs 1.12 crore turned

Govt School Libraries: Every school allocated funds, totalling ₹15 crore, for the purchase of books in Feb 2025

1. Mohalla Libraries[1:1]

A model library, constructed at a cost of ₹35 lakh in Sangrur, as a reference
-- As part of Pilot Project[4], 28 libraries constructed in various villages of Sangrur district
-- being replicated across Punjab[5][6]

  • In Sangrur’s Model library, ~₹10 lakh spent on essentials like books, furniture, AC, Inverters, CCTV systems, solar plants, water dispensers, curtain blinds, branding, and ACP sheets
  • Authorities to adopt the library construction plans to the available space and specific requirements for each constituency
  • Many of the identified sites may require minor modifications for library use, others will necessitate full-scale construction

2. School libraries[7]

₹15 crore released for the purchase of books in Feb 2025

  • State-level committee of experts has been established
    • To curate a list of books for purchase
    • This committee will meticulously review and select books to provide students with a high-quality and diverse range of reading materials
    • Goal is to promote their educational growth and intellectual development
School Type Fund allocated
Primary school ₹5,000
Middle school ₹13,000
Senior secondary school ₹15,000

3. District Libraries

Sangrur District Library facelift[3:1]

Before AAP, this library was a dingy place with many rooms locked and stacked with waste items

Facelift under AAP at a cost of Rs 1.12 crore
-- Inaugurated on 21 June 2023 by CM Mann
-- Lifetime membership has gone up by 66% to 10,000+
-- Seating capacity enhanced from just 70 to ~235 people

IMPACT after 1 year: "It’s been a year that the library has been renovated and with this, Sangrur is now getting popular for its reading habits. The library remains mostly crowded with people coming even from far away villages of the district” on 22 July 2024

  • Boasts of a spacious AC hall with free WiFi facility and CCTV surveillance
  • Ultra-modern facilities including Computer Section, Air Conditioning, RO Water Supply along with state of the art Landscaping
  • The library, which is open on all 7 days from 8am to 9pm
  • Library has a collection of ~65,000 books and many new books on competitive exams such as UPSC, CAT, JEE, NEET and CUET, were added after the renovation
  • The canteen, which is being run by NGO 'Pehal', has tea, coffee and also some snacks
  • Built on 3.7 acres with parking facility and a green area within the complex, the library was first established in 1912

“I come here daily to study. The library is very clean and has a great environment", Jagdeep Singh, a student who comes from Ladda village

“I am preparing for UPSC and this library has a very good collection. When I see people around me studying, I also get the motivation to work hard”, Gurpreet Singh, who visits from Bhawanigarh which is about 20km away

Other District Libraries

  1. Abohar Library[8]
  • Modern library, developed at a cost of Rs 3.41 crore
  • Seating capacity of 130 and is fully air-conditioned
  1. RoopNagar Library

District RoopNagar Library Transformation

https://twitter.com/DcRupnagar/status/1735195553909416211

  1. Ferozepur Library[9]

References:

  1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/ludhiana-book-lovers-delight-civic-body-starts-looking-for-new-library-sites-101699124377234-amp.html ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=196853 ↩︎

  3. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/how-a-colonial-era-library-has-inculcated-reading-habits-in-sangrur-9468395/ ↩︎ ↩︎

  4. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/libraries-to-come-up-in-28-villages-478216 ↩︎

  5. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/cm-mann-opens-12-libraries-in-sangrur-548917 ↩︎

  6. https://yespunjab.com/cm-mann-dedicates-14-ultra-modern-libraries-in-sangrur-constructed-at-a-cost-of-rs-4-62-cr/ ↩︎

  7. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/punjab-releases-15-crore-for-purchase-of-books-in-govt-school-libraries-101740761616291.html ↩︎

  8. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/well-stocked-library-to-open-in-abohar-584658 ↩︎

  9. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/ferozepur-district-library-gets-new-lease-of-life-464488 ↩︎

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