PNS|Visakhapatnam
Over 60 public libraries across North Andhra are grappling with a severe financial crisis, casting a shadow over their crucial role as educational support systems during the ongoing summer holidays. The shortfall affects 16 libraries in Visakhapatnam, 35 in Anakapalli, and 13 in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, institutions that have long been cornerstones of community learning.
The crisis stems from the non-remittance of the legally mandated library cess by urban and rural local bodies, a requirement under the Andhra Pradesh Public Libraries Act, 1960. This act stipulates that up to eight paise per rupee of property tax collected should be transferred to the Zilla Grandhalaya Samstha. However, widespread negligence in this transfer has resulted in substantial outstanding amounts, leaving libraries severely underfunded.
A particularly concerning situation prevails within the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), which, despite recording the highest property and land tax collection in the State at Rs 510 crore for the 2024-25 fiscal year, has failed to release Rs 40.8 crore owed as library cess. According to former Zilla Grandhalaya Samstha chairman Konda Rajiv Gandhi, GVMC’s total outstanding dues now exceed a staggering Rs 117 crore.
Furthermore, other municipalities and gram panchayats collectively owe between Rs 5 crore and Rs 18 crore. State-run entities like APIIC and APSEZ are also among the defaulters, exacerbating the financial distress faced by the libraries.
With the summer break in full swing, the functional impairment of these libraries is acutely felt by students and educators alike. Concerned civic leaders and educationists are urgently appealing for government intervention and stricter enforcement of the cess remittance regulations to ensure the revitalisation and long-term viability of these indispensable public resources.
