Chandigarh: With an aim to inculcate reading habit in government school students for their holistic development, Punjab Government has released a grant of Rs. 15 crore to purchase the books for the government school libraries.
Sharing these details today, Punjab School Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains said that the government has allocated Rs. 5,000 for each primary school, Rs. 13,000 for each middle school, and Rs. 15,000 for each high and senior secondary school.
The School Education Minister said that a state-level committee of experts has been established to curate a list of books for purchase. This committee will meticulously review and select books to provide students with a high-quality and diverse range of reading materials that promote their educational growth and intellectual development.
“My goal is to make Punjab a leader in the education system across the country. I am personally visiting schools, gathering feedback from students and teachers and using that information to shape future policies”, S. Harjot Singh Bains said, while asking teachers to motivate students to read books extensively after their final examinations. He also emphasised the value of books in acquiring knowledge about literature, society, heritage, culture and the world.
He further said that the Punjab Government has been releasing grants to modernise existing school libraries and elevate Punjab's education system to world-class standards, as envisioned by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Box: District-wise breakup of Grant
Amritsar: Rs. 98.44 lakh
Barnala: Rs. 24.99 lakh
Bathinda: Rs. 57.64 lakh
Faridkot: Rs. 33.33 lakh
Fatehgarh Sahib: Rs. 51.22 lakh
Fazilka: Rs. 55.26 lakh
Ferozepur: Rs. 61.51 lakh
Gurdaspur: Rs. 113 lakh
Hoshiarpur: Rs. 128.37 lakh
Jalandhar: Rs. 107.24 lakh
Kapurthala: Rs. 61.44 lakh
Ludhiana: Rs. 123.87 lakh
Malerkotla: Rs. 21.97 lakh
Mansa: Rs. 41.59 lakh
Moga: Rs. 50.41 lakh
Mohali: Rs. 50.13 lakh
Muktsar: Rs. 47.04 lakh
SBS Nagar: Rs. 49.99 lakh
Pathankot: Rs. 39.83 lakh
Patiala: Rs. 97.58 lakh
Rupnagar: Rs. 63.97 lakh
Sangrur: Rs. 60.36 lakh
Tarn Taran: Rs. 62 lakh