Question : NON AVAILABILITY OF BOOKS ON INDIAN CULTURE IN MISSIONS ABROAD

(a) whether the Government is aware that Indian Missions/Embassies abroad, particularly France, are not having sufficient books on Indian Culture and Indian Values;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government is also aware that a large number of Indians, mostly Tamils, particularly from Pondicherry, which is known to be a Window of French Culture, as defined by Late Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, are residing in France; and

(d) if so, the steps proposed to be taken by the Government to provide sufficient books on Tamil Culture and Literature in the Embassy Library for the benefit of the large number of Tamils in France?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS(SHRI E. AHAMED)

(a) & (b) Indian Missions and Posts abroad have an adequate supply and variety of books on Indian culture and literature from different regions of the country. The Indian Embassy in Paris has about 7,000 books including those on Indian culture and literature.

(c ) It is estimated that in France there are about 55,000 PIOs belonging to Tamil community, the majority of whom are French nationals.

(d) Several Tamil publications are available in the Indian Embassy Library in Paris.