Amaravati to house India’s largest central library: Minister Nara Lokesh

Amaravati, Aug 22 (PTI) Amaravati will soon house India’s largest and most modern central library, Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh said here on Friday.

Spread across two lakh sq ft, the greenfield capital’s proposed library will be developed as a “world-class hub of knowledge,” Lokesh said during a review meeting with education officials.

“Amaravati will soon house the country’s largest and most modern central library, spread over two lakh sq ft and designed as a world-class hub of knowledge,” a press release said.

The TDP general secretary promised to complete the project within a year and set “new standards for accessing knowledge.” He also directed officials to expedite work on a proposed 50,000 sq ft regional library at Jagadamba Centre in Visakhapatnam.

Lokesh said around Rs 213 crore in cess dues were pending from local bodies and suggested officials recover them to fund library development. He asked officials to organise community programmes in libraries to boost student engagement and to make full use of funds available under the National Mission for Libraries.

He further noted that Rs 87 lakh had already been sanctioned for the Rajahmundry library. PTI STH SSK