(a) whether the Government is formulating any policy to provide library facilities in villages across the country; and
(b) whether the Government has constructed side walls at all the ponds for the development of the villages in the country, if so, the details thereof including Bijnor Parliamentary Constituency and the State of Uttar Pradesh and if not, whether the Government is formulating any policy in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a): As informed by Ministry of Culture, library is a State subject and formulation of any policy to provide library facility in villages comes under preview of the respective State/ Union Territory. Library Authority. However, Delhi Public Library provides free library and information services to the citizens of Delhi and NCR region covering all the urban and rural areas. Besides, State/U.T. Library Authority may avail assistance from Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF) under its various Schemes for development of public Library services at all levels including villages.
(b): Ministry of Rural Development is implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in rural areas of the country. It is a demand driven wage employment programme which provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country. Under MGNREGS, inter-alia, construction, repair, maintenance and renovation of water harvesting ponds, fishery ponds, construction, repair, maintenance and stabilization of pond for the community and construction of farm pond for individual beneficiaries are permissible activities. The works related to ponds are taken up as per the requirement of different items of work and according to the site conditions. Construction of side wall at the pond is also an item of work. Accordingly, the side walls are constructed as per the requirement at the site.
******