To promote reading among students in secondary school, the central government had allotted Rs 1 lakh each in funds to 35 districts to organise book fairs in their respective areas. However, a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by activist Anil Bornare has revealed that out of 35 districts, 13 have failed to hold even one book fair in the year 2013-14.
To promote reading among students in secondary school, the central government had allotted Rs 1 lakh each in funds to 35 districts to organise book fairs in their respective areas. However, a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by activist Anil Bornare has revealed that out of 35 districts, 13 have failed to hold even one book fair in the year 2013-14.
While the government insists on the requirement of a library in each school, most institutions have fail to ensure this, claimed Bornare.
Last month, Bornare filed an RTI query asking how much the central government pays districts to hold book fairs under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan scheme. He received a reply on February 15 that the government had paid 35 districts Rs 1 lakh each for the same in the year 2013-14.
Out of these 35 districts, 23 conducted book fairs. The districts that failed to do so are: Ahmednagar, Akola, Beed, Kolhapur, Latur, Nasik, Mumbai western zone, Nanded, Usmanabad, Parbhani, Raigad, Solapur and Vashim. However, out of these 13, six districts, namely Ahmednagar, Akola, Mumbai western zone, Nanded, Parbhani and Raigad returned the amount.
Bornare, president of the Shikshak Parishad, Mumbai region, said, "This is the sad state of education. Despite the government providing funds by government to districts to hold book fairs, the officials are failing to do so. The fairs were started two years ago. Authors and poets are invited to interact with students. Several authored books are brought in through such events so that schools can take them to stock their libraries. Students and parents can buy them too. This is all to inculcate the habit and culture of reading in students."
Despite repeated attempts, officials from the education department remained unavailable for comment.
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