Last Updated: 17 Aug 2024
Target: Punjab Govt allocated ₹64 lakh/constituency & up to 6 libraries will be established in each assembly constituency[1]
Pilot Project[2]: Punjab Government constructed 28 libraries in various villages of Sangrur district with the concept of a Model Library, which is now being replicated across Punjab[3][4]
-- 14 ultra-modern rural public libraries across Punjab inaugurated on 15 Aug 2024[5]
District Libraries[6]: are being renovated through a separate project
e.g. Sangrur District Library renovated at cost of Rs 1.12 crore turned
¶ Model Library & Expansion to whole Punjab[1:1]
A model library, constructed at a cost of ₹35 lakh in Sangrur, as a reference
14 new libraries are under construction in just 7 constituencies of Ludhaina city[7]
- 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
¶ Sangrur District Library facelift[6:1]
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
- Abohar Library[8]
- Modern library, developed at a cost of Rs 3.41 crore
- Seating capacity of 130 and is fully air-conditioned
- RoopNagar Library
District RoopNagar Library Transformation
- Ferozepur Library[9]
References:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/ludhiana-book-lovers-delight-civic-body-starts-looking-for-new-library-sites-101699124377234-amp.html ↩︎ ↩︎
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/libraries-to-come-up-in-28-villages-478216 ↩︎
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/cm-mann-opens-12-libraries-in-sangrur-548917 ↩︎
https://yespunjab.com/cm-mann-dedicates-14-ultra-modern-libraries-in-sangrur-constructed-at-a-cost-of-rs-4-62-cr/ ↩︎
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/cm-mann-inaugurates-14-ultra-modern-libraries-for-rural-areas-101723831779503.html ↩︎
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/how-a-colonial-era-library-has-inculcated-reading-habits-in-sangrur-9468395/ ↩︎ ↩︎
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/good-news-for-book-lovers-as-mc-begins-tendering-process-to-set-up-new-libraries-587222 ↩︎
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/well-stocked-library-to-open-in-abohar-584658 ↩︎
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/ferozepur-district-library-gets-new-lease-of-life-464488 ↩︎
