Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa has ordered the upgradation of 96 rural libraries as branch libraries and also announced the creation of 96 posts of third grade librarians to manage them.
“Libraries are the storehouse of knowledge and they help people a lot in acquiring knowledge and education,” an official release said here on Tuesday.
Quoting former chief minister C. N. Annadurai that “we can call ourselves enlightened only when people come forward to build reading rooms along with pooja rooms, kitchen and bed rooms, while constructing new houses”, Ms Jayalalithaa said a nation would be considered highly receptive only when the reading habits among its citizens increased.
The release said that considering their poor conditions, the libraries required to be improved. She said the 96 librarians would be appointed in the pay scale of Rs 5,200 - Rs 20,000, besides a special pay of Rs 500.
Ms Jayalalithaa also ordered the upgradation of 160 part-time libraries as rural libraries and said 160 rural posts of librarians would be created to manage them.
These librarians would be appointed in the pay scale of Rs 2,500 - Rs 5,000, besides a special pay of Rs 500.
This initiative would be of great help to the public and students in their pursuit of knowledge and
education, the release added.