(a) whether the D. P. Chattopadhaya Committee had recommended for formulating a
National Policy on Library and Information System (NAPLIS);
(b) if so, whether the Government has implemented the recommendation;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken to formulate the NAPLIS?
MINISER OF TOURISM AND CULTURE (SMT. AMBIKA SONI)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b)and (c) No formal declaration of the National Policy on Library and Information
System has been made so far. As a follow up measure, an Empowered Committee was
set up to formulate an action plan on the National Policy on Library and Information
System alongwith a working group to suggest actions on the decisions of the Empowered
Committee. Some of the recommendations made by the Chattopadhaya Committee have
already been initiated under various schemes of the Ministry e.g. Modernization of Public
Libraries, Development of Rural Libraries, Assistance for development of Children`s
Section and Children`s Comers in public libraries and technological upgradation of
Libraries under the Ministry of Culture.
(d) As the Chattopadhaya Committee report was finalized more than twenty years ago,
it may not be feasible to declare a national policy on Library & Information System
based on these recommendations, considering the sweeping changes that have taken place
in this sector in the last two decades.