(a) whether there has been a decline, over the years, in reading habit amongst the youth;
(b) if so, the steps proposed by the Government to promote healthy reading; and
(c) the amount advanced by the Government during each of the last three years for the purchase of books by different institutions?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (PROF. RITA VERMA)
(a),(b) &(c) No such survey is done by the Government. However over
the years, reading habits may have declined amongst the youth
especially in the towns and cities due to over exposure to television
and other electronic media.
The Government is already organising various book
promotional activities for spreading reading habit among the youth
throughout the country directly as well as through National Book
Trust. NBT organizes book fairs and festivals at village, district,
state and national levels. Books are taken by NBT to even remote areas
through the mobile book vans. National Book Week is celebrated
throughout the country in collaboration with various organisations of
writers, publishers, booksellers, librarians, schools, universities
and NGOs. As a matter of policy, 10% discount is routinely allowed
during the book fairs. Through the Readers’ Club programme, NBT
encourages establishment of school libraries. Seminars and symposia
etc. also strengthen the relationship between the readers and books.
The Ministry directly also administers a scheme namely “Book
Promotional Activities†under which grants are given to voluntary
organisations for organising book fairs, seminars, workshops etc. on
subjects related to book promotion. The Government of India celebrated
the year 2001 as the “year of books†from 23 April,2001 to 23
April,2002 with the slogan ‘Book for all and all for Books’ to sustain
reading habits among youths. During the “year of books†various
activities were organized by NBT and other governmental
institutions(central and state government) which were conducive for
promoting reading habit.
No separate grant is given to institutions for purchase of books.