CHANDIGARH: On the direction of Punjab School Education Minister Mr. Vijay Inder Singla, the School Education Department has released a grant of around Rs. 16.33 crore for the purchase of books during the academic session 2021-22. The aim is to raise the standard of school libraries and to provide better books for students to read.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the school education department said that a total amount of Rs. 16 crore, 33 lakh and 80 thousand has been released. According to the spokesperson, there are currently 12830 primary, 2655 upper primary, 1697 secondary and 1963 senior secondary schools in the state and Rs. 641.5 lakh, 345.15 lakh, 254.55 lakh and 392.6 lakh have been released to them respectively.
According to the spokesperson, instructions have already been issued to form committees at school level to procure books for libraries and to procure only the books recommended by the expert committee. Instructions have been given to procure more books on history, culture, geography, sociology, folklore or dialects of Punjab. Emphasis has been laid on purchasing color and illustrated books to inculcate the habit of reading in the primary school students and attract them towards books. The schools have been directed to avail discounts on books purchased from government publishers as per their policy, besides to avail 25 per cent on books purchased from National Book Trust and at least 40 per cent from private publishers.